Playful People Productions to Present SEUSSICAL, JR. Beginning Next Month

Playful People Productions will present Seussical JR, featuring beloved Dr. Seuss characters and storylines performed by grade school children, directed by Shannon Santandrea and Emily Pennington. Seussical JR performs at Historic Hoover Theatre in San Jose Sept. 22—Oct. 1, 2023. For tickets ($25) or for more information on Playful People and their programs, visit the link below or call (408) 878-5362.

Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat and all of your favorite Dr. Seuss characters spring to life onstage in Seussical JR, from Tony Award winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Lucky Stiff, My Favorite Year, Once on This Island, Ragtime). Transporting audiences from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus, the Cat in the Hat (our narrator) tells the story of Horton, an elephant who discovers a speck of dust containing tiny people called the Whos: including Jojo, a Who child, who gets in trouble for thinking too many "thinks." Horton's challenge is twofold — not only must he protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must also guard an abandoned egg that's been left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant!

Director Shannon Santandrea is well-known to Playful People Productions audiences, having worked on multiple productions including recent productions of Disney's Frozen and Jungle Book KIDS. She has a lifelong passion for art and for working with school age children, and truly enjoys seeing children discover that they all are artists. She is a trained tutor with the Barton Reading Program, which specializes in helping children with Dyslexia become strong, confident readers. Prior to working with Playful People Productions, she spent multiple years working in theaters in New York: performing, working behind the scenes, and managing venues for theater festivals.

Director Emily Pennington helmed Playful People's recent production of Shrek, directed alongside Shannon Santandrea on Disney's Frozen, and has been on the artistic staff at Playful People for 8 years. She earned her BA in Theater Arts, emphasis in Directing and Acting, from SJSU and has worked at a variety of theater companies around the South Bay including AMTSJ, Starting Arts, Children's Musical Theatre of San Jose, and Silicon Valley Shakespeare. She also choreographs for Children's Playhouse and Playful People Productions, and recently helped start an after-school theater program at her children's school.

Playful People Productions was first founded in 2010 as a positive, inclusive, family-focused theatre company, and has operated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit since 2017. While initially providing classes, camps, and shows for kids, the company has grown to offer similar classes for adults, and stages multi-generational performances where family members can perform together.

Playful People Productions aims to create an inclusive environment where all feel welcome, and where creative impulses are encouraged by experienced Bay Area artists. The organization follows proven child education techniques; continually works to ensure the safety of all participants, volunteers, and staff; and regularly gives families the opportunity to share the exhilarating experience of performing together.

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