This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:03] Brendon Henderson: Wait, and the waves.

[0:32] Brendon Henderson: Take a look. What do you see? I'm sure almost all of you just said, that's a really beaten-up chair, stupid. Another quarter of you probably thought, yep, looks like you got that from a dumpster. And my parents probably thought, oh god, his theater degrees made him forget what common household objects are. Either that, or please don't embarrass us tonight, Brendan. Probably both, to be honest. Now sure, it may just look like a chair. But what if it could be more? What if it could be a spaceship? Traveling past the cosmos at light speed when all of a sudden enemy starships start to chase you, forcing you to dive and weave between asteroids. Or it can become the wheel to a pirate ship. As you try to escape, Captain Arg me booty.

That's his married name. Oh no, it's Captain Joe. Hope he doesn't take us to his crapshack. The point is, even with just a chair, you can transport people thanks to the power of imagination. Now when we're younger, it comes to us naturally. It's easy to run out onto a field, put in a tree, and say, quick, we have to protect the White House and President Batman. But as we get older and get weighed down with bills, loan payments, mortgages, and a bunch of pointless heated debates on the internet, our imagination starts to take a back seat to responsibilities. Soon instead of being a spaceship, or as a way to escape Captain Arg Me Booty, that chair just becomes a chair again. Oftentimes, because of this, Broadway shows like to do all of our thinking for us, and they vomit on us with millions of dollars worth of the old razzle dazzle.

Make the sets as elaborate as possible. Put up a thought machine. Heck, make 'em swing from the ceilings. Yeah, that'll put some butts in the seats. Yet when getting lost in all this spectacle, it's sometimes easy to forget that really less can be more than we can.

[3:35] Brendon Henderson: So before we dive in, I need to turn on this TV. Is it plugged in? Live theater. I love it. Are we going? I can watch Netflix. Okay, there we go. Alright. So I wanted to thank you all for being here. Let me see. Let me block out the light. Oh my gosh, people actually showed up. Now this is the first time that we've ever really tried anything like this, so I want to make sure that we're all on the same page. Especially you folks watching the stream at home. Now my name is Brendon Henderson, and I'm the host of the Wait in the Wings YouTube channel, which we do videos focused on theater history and looking at the history of really we like Broadway flops. That's our main thing. But tonight, for you guys watching at home, we're in front of a live audience.

And we're streaming this next week to our YouTube channel, Wait in the Wings, which just passed 13,000 subscribers. So we've been working on this for about the past three months or so, and we've actually interviewed a few members of the original cast to make sure that it's the most accurate retelling of this show's history. I hope that you all find it as interesting, off the wall, and maybe even as moving as I do. Okay. One second, keep it right there. Alright, now we're gonna turn up the lights, and I'm gonna turn this camera around. And when I do, you all better lose your minds. Please do not embarrass me in front of my friends. Or I will call the police. Alright, so with that being said, let's show off this crowd.

[5:26] Brendon Henderson: We're still going. Oh my gosh. I'm worried about the structural integrity of this roof right now. Alright. Yeah. What are you doing? That was it. That's the bit. It's HD, no one wants to see that. So now, I made a promise to the crew that even though we're covering Dr. Seuss tonight, I wasn't gonna rhyme. But you know what? Why should I give a flying walk a flock of fliv? If I can No! You're a God now. Hey, friend! It is our 13,000 subscriber special. Can you please just be normal for once? Please. Normal. How can I be normal when this story is anything but how does a show that's literally based on the works of an author who thrived on creativity and whimsy become one of the biggest Broadway flops of all time?

And more importantly, how could it ever be redeemed? Would you like to find out? Good. You paid to be here, so that would be a really awkward hour. This is the story of a lovely little show that got weighed down by excess. One that had the eyes of the world watching it in a way that had never been seen. And honestly, one that was doomed to fail from the moment somebody said, this could beat the Lion King. But more importantly, this is the story of redemption. A story of the beauty of collaboration, and of how too many cooks in the kitchen, yeah, they can spoil the green eggs at hand. This is the story of what went wrong with Seussical, the musical.

[7:33] Brendon Henderson: The lights did not shine. Critics had much to say of this poor little musical that opened on Broadway. Woes out of town, celebrity guests, show doctors, and more primed the show-up for death. But don't worry. The creators, they did not cry. Instead, they spent time pounding the marble tabletop and saying, why god, why? So, how did a show with expectations through the roof turn into a giant box office goof? But perhaps the most interesting fact of them all is how did it succeed using changes so small? Well, buckle your seat belts and get ready to cram information more delicious than green eggs and ham. With video word and the occasional song, it's time to figure out just what went wrong. What were your favorite books growing up?

Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Juni B. Jones, Everybody Poops. Yeah, that person liked it. In my house, I grew up on Dr. Seuss. The colorful worlds in his stories were absolutely mesmerizing as an eight-year-old child. And now, at 23, yeah, he's still influencing my fashion choices. It's hard when looking at children's books nowadays to imagine a time when their main purpose was to teach children manners and the importance of obeying your parents. Something that I'm sure a lot of you in the crowd still wish was the case. But thanks to Dr. Seuss, he proved that books could be more than just guides. They could be fun. That's not to say that they couldn't be educational at the same time.

[9:11] Brendon Henderson: At the age of 53, Seuss became alarmed at the dropping literacy rates in America. To combat this, he decided to create a story keeping the economy of line in mind. Now, this is a phrase that's used in the art world that focuses on painting a picture using as few strokes as possible. Using this method, he created a story that guaranteed every elementary school child in America could read it by using a vocabulary of only 225 words. Upon the book's release, literacy rates improved by leaps and bounds. And it was all thanks to what would become one of his most popular characters, the cat in the hat. Seuss would go on to author and co-author over 66 books, win the Pulitzer Prize, and introduce countless kids to the fun that they could have through reading.

At the end of the day, Seuss never wanted to disappoint the children. Leaving behind a truly magnificent legacy. Still, he was absolutely infamous for being extremely protective of his work when he was alive, and was adamant that he didn't want any merchandise or movies made from anything that he had created. But after he passed away, his second wife Audrey knew that if the work and legacy he had created was to live on, then it needed to adapt to the technology of the times. And so, she started selling the licenses out.

[10:44] Brendon Henderson: And in 1997, a large majority of the characters, books, and worlds of Dr. Seuss found themselves in the hands of the production company, Live Ant. I thought it was funny. In 1997, Live Ant was at the height of their producing powers, having staged shows like Showboat, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Phantom of the Opera, and their current hit of the moment, Ragtime. The company was founded by Garth Drabinsky after he leveraged his ownership in the Pantagus Theater in Toronto. Now holding the licenses to a large majority of the Dr. Seuss characters, Drabinsky and creative director Marty Bell wanted to assemble a team that could faithfully translate the stories from the page to the stage in a new Broadway show.

They wanted to create this new kind of universe, one where anything and everything was possible and nothing was off limits. Now, while the two knew that the technical elements and the performances would be important for making the show run, it would be in the music that the show would be set up for startup. You know, that would be easier, and I wouldn't have to change my shirt as often as the fresh off the success of Ragtime, Drabinsky invited the show's composers, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens into his office. The two had proven to be a safe bet for the company, having had written the hit scores for A Christmas Carol and Once on This Island. Now, Ahrens may look like a stranger to most of you, but chances are you're more familiar with her work than you know.

Does the name Schoolhouse Rock ring a bell? Yeah? Yeah, that was her. Ahrens wrote and performed numerous songs on Schoolhouse Rock, most notably the preamble song. Which, if you really think about it is kind of cheating because the lyrics for that were written in like 1787. Like I'm pretty sure that the Founding Fathers should have gotten a co-lyricist credit on that. Their section's pretty much the bulk of it. But regardless, the point is Ahrens knew what she was doing. But great lyrics can only get you so far. You also need to have a great musical score to back them up. And this is where her musical partner, Stephen Flaherty, enters the picture. He, along with Ahrens, composed the music for the 1997 film Anastasia, which is still the most profitable film from both Blue Sky and Fox Animation Studios.

Feeling on top of the world and ready to tackle their next project, the two signed on. With the huge library that they had at their disposal, the possibilities were endless for what direction the show could take.

[13:48] Brendon Henderson: And while that may seem liberating, it was actually extremely overwhelming. Erens had no idea how they could possibly wrestle all of the characters into one show. However, the more they read, the more they realized that if the show was going to work, it would need to follow the same economy of line that had become the key ingredient to the success of Dr. Seuss's books. It needed to be simple and not overstuffed with too many characters, storylines, or effects. But when dealing with the wobbless world that the Seuss characters inhabit, Drabinsky felt that there needed to be an abundant feeling of eccentricity and humor in the show. To help achieve this, he brought on board one of the co-conceivers of the surreal comedy group, Monty Python, Eric Idle, to help with the creation of key concepts and sections of the script.

When approaching the work, Idle imagined a world of chaos, with mayhem happening left and right in a way where no one could expect what would be happening next. Arms would be reaching out of the walls, people would be dragged off of the stage, steam and debris would spew out of the orchestra pit. In Idle's mind, if the show was going to work, it would need to introduce a sense of chaotic anarchy that had never been seen on a Broadway stage before. The story and the overall feeling were beginning to take shape. And having been working on the show since January 1999, by November, they were almost finished with their first draft. But soon, things took a drastic turn.

[15:23] Brendon Henderson: In 2009, Drabinsky and partner Myron Gottlieb were convicted of fraud and forgery for cooking the books of LiveEnt for years. It's estimated the investors lost close to half a billion dollars. Ouch. In November, Garth Drabinsky and Myron Gottlieb were ousted from their executive positions at LiveEnt following a massive accounting fraud. Drabinsky and his partners forced accountants to create false financial reports by overstating their revenue and blah blah blah. This is a bunch of legal stuff. It's not that exciting to listen to. So I'm gonna act out 1990 to 1998 as if I was Drabinski. Thought that I may get the money and make a fortune off of lies. And there was nobody there in accountants to spare.

So what if they cry? Fix up the books. I don't care how it looks. I need to go on a big spending spree. So what do I care of? Think how in school there's kids who are not cool in title all of the time. And they won't let you have fun with the money you've won. Cause they say it's a crime. It's up to you. Inflate our revenue, erase any expenses you see. So what do I care of the big SEC? Liabilities, dynasties, dignities, get out the door. While I rip off the knackers of backers while they just keep giving me more. See you in court, they say. We've busted you today. Oh well, that sucks. From at home and from abroad, I've managed to defraud 500 million bucks. Let's hope I'm cute in a bright orange jumpsuit and a little room for me to pee. Because I've been busted by the big SEC.

[17:57] ♪ Musical number ♪

[18:12] Brendon Henderson: The business was perplexed, but then came SFX and bought my live and OG, and all just because of the jerks at the SEC.

[18:52] Brendon Henderson: Thank you. Okay, I got it. I gotta do more cardio. Stop drinking soda every day. Thank you. I paid him thirty dollars to say that. Okay. Whew. So you got all that, right? Life ain't got into hot water with the SEC, or the Security and Exchange Commissions, went bankrupt, and down the road was bought out by SFX Entertainment. Now, here's a fun story for you. Drabinski was sentenced to serve seven years in prison. But he only served 17 months. Yeah, more than enough time to prove that his actions have consequences. Following the fallout, Aaron's and Flaherty were left with a big decision to make in regards to Seussical. No one in the company knew what to expect next. They were a year into the process, and already they had a new executive team.

The show's original producer was fleeing for exile in Canada, and a general air of uncertainty began to engulf them. No one could fault them for wanting to jump ship. But after working on the production for as long as they had, they could sense that there was something lovely and charming about the show that they just couldn't give up on. And so, taking a leap of faith, the two decided to press on with taking the show from concept to the stage. Just one small little change. They made the executive decision that the show didn't really need a script. And because of that, they decided to write the thing entirely by themselves, without the eccentric help of Eric Idle.

[20:43] Brendon Henderson: Now, there are many contradicting reports as to what went down between the two parties. But the general consensus is that it just came down to two very different views on what the show needed to be. Aaron's and Flaherty wanted simplicity, while Idle wanted chaos. By the spring of 1999, the interim management of Live Int felt confident in offering Aaron's and Flaherty the opportunity to hold the show's first reading in New York City. The two were left to organize it, and as a result, they were able to cast the thing entirely by themselves. Now, they decided that the story was going to focus on a variety of Dr. Seuss characters, with the weight of the show resting on the shoulders of the Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, JoJo, the son of the mayor of Hooville, and Horton the Elephant.

The person that they would get to fill those large ears wouldn't only prove to be a perfect fit for the role, but he would also be a saving grace when things became incredibly choppy. I'm sorry. Especially when I'm around beautiful women. Now, while many of us know him as Bertram from Jesse on the Disney Channel, Kevin is a highly accomplished actor, having appeared in the hit musicals The Adams Family, Chicago, and Wicked, and the classic family film Die Hard with a Vengeance. He started at the age of 10, growing up in South Jersey and taking part in a very active community theater scene. By 1999, at the age of 36, Kevin had a very well-established body of work. It was in 1992, however, that he took part in the musical My Favorite Year. And this is where he met the show's composers, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens.

[23:07] Brendon Henderson: Now, when I had the opportunity to interview Kevin back in January, I had no idea what to expect. I mean, he's a three-time Tony Award nominated actor. Okay, to put that into perspective, I have a certificate for 1,000 YouTube subscribers hanging up on my wall. Did I print it out myself? So, needless to say, I was a little nervous. But after only five minutes of talking with him, I could identify exactly why Aaron's and Flaherty chose him to play Horton. In the books, Horton is depicted as a kind, good-natured elephant that's overflowing with a sense of compassion. It's feasible to assume that both Aaron and Flaherty saw this in Kevin, and as a result, he became the first person that they picked for the reading.

This would also see the return of Eric Idle in the role of the Cat in the Hat, which, oh my god, I wish I could see what that looked like. Now, this is a very basic recreation of what I believe the New York readings looked like. No flashy special effects or awe-inspiring costumes, but rather just a piano, a chair, and a music stand. I know, it doesn't look like much. I mean, heck, it didn't look like much to the same Arden producers who were coming to see what was supposedly going to be the next big thing. But the mind is a powerful tool, and it shouldn't be underestimated. Using the bare essentials and the power of the music, the cast spent the next two weeks turning what maybe seemed like common household objects into the pillars of action for telling the stories of Dr. Seuss.

[24:51] Brendon Henderson: Now, following the success of this initial reading, word began to spread through the theater world like wildfire. And it wasn't long before many investors found themselves flocking to the show's first workshop performance in the auditorium at the University of Toronto that summer. Now, the purpose of theater workshops is to basically be a rough draft as to what the final look and feel of the show is going to be. This allows the creative team the opportunity to gauge how audiences and critics are responding to general concepts. Typically, theater workshops are extremely modest, stripped back, and well, simple. With Andrea Martin taking over the role of the Cat in the Hat and impeccable direction by Frank Galotti and choreographer Kathleen Marshall, the Seussical team was able to charm everybody in attendance, with how they were able to bring the stories to life with a marvelous simplicity.

There was nothing to distract them. No over-the-top technical elements because, well, they didn't have anything. All they had was a chair, a battered stepladder, and I think there was a scaffold. And I could only afford to have one of those things here. Now, usually with theater workshops, you get a few songs and then maybe a couple of scenes. But with Seussical, they had the entire show. Investors sat back and watched as the Lorax painted a picture of the world without truffula trees. As the Cat narrated and oftentimes interjected himself into the story, and as Gertrude McFuzz tried ferociously to get Horton to notice her while he was busy trying to save Who and hatch an egg. You know, honestly, people probably would have been happy just having one of Horton's stories in the show.

But we got both of them. If you think about it, it's probably the most eventful experience of this poor elephant's life. I mean, he literally goes from discovering a whole new planet to becoming a father. That's pretty heavy. But the early process perhaps had the most profound impact on the man who played the Onceler, Eddie Korbich, who would later describe the experience as magical, with everyone being on the same page, and knowing that they all had something really cool and special. He said it left him with the feeling that you typically have after eating a really great meal, where you feel so fulfilled and nourished. And they all went crazy trying to get a sweet taste of that salmon pat. I mean, Seussical.

[28:13] Brendon Henderson: But how could a show that wasn't even ready for the stage yet garner such a strong reaction from everybody who saw it? The reason is because they were in love with how simple and stripped back it was. This showing inspired the investors to suspend their disbelief and to use their mind's eye to transport themselves to the whimsical world of Hugo. They didn't need all the bells and whistles. They just needed some beautiful music and a sweet, simple story.

[29:24] Brendon Henderson: To help mount the show and raise the estimated $8 million needed, SFX also recruited the help of Universal Studios, which was currently in the process of making their live action adaptation of How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Jim Perry. For the most part, the Weisler stuck to the business side of things to allow Aaron's and Flaherty the space that they needed to create a truly magnificent show. All they needed to do now was take the lovable and magnetizing workshop production and get it ready for Broadway. The show had moved to the prestigious Colonial Theater in Boston for their initial tryout run and to allow them the opportunity to fine-tune the show.

[30:01] Brendon Henderson: After weeks of rehearsals and through the roof optimistic buzz, it was finally time for Seussical's first performance in front of a live audience. Now, even though the audience in attendance reacted warmly to the show, the perception through the media and a new form of technology called the internet began to turn sour. The most crushing review came from the Boston Globe, which utterly tore apart the production by stating a phrase to sum up the brilliance of Dr. Seuss might be sophisticated whimsicality. A phrase that might sum up the blandness of Seussical could be middle-of-the-road literal-mindedness. The general consensus was that the script wasn't able to combine all the stories together into a satisfying narrative.

[31:10] Brendon Henderson: Now, when going into Boston, original set designer Eugene Lee gave the top brass three options as to what the set could look like. There was the crazy version, the bare bones version, and the best of both worlds version. In the end, following the success of the initial readings, and to save a buck, the decision was made among the top brass to go with the stripped back bare bones version. This resulted in the sets looking a little bit too bleak, and the mood of buoyancy and whimsy was lost. For the first time, Seussical hadn't won over its crowd. And as a result, a toxic cloud began to spread behind the scenes.

[31:56] Brendon Henderson: Now, conflict was inevitable when the new cast of players came on board solely for the Broadway run. The original casting crew had a perception of Seussical that clashed with the new recruits. They had been hyping up what a special and spectacular production Seussical was, but after the first few tryouts, it wasn't living up to the hype. Soon, things got bitter. And the magical collaborative times that the cast had shared with each other during the early stages began to become clouded by a wave of toxic smog that started to bring the production down. And on top of all of that, the executives in charge began to go on red alert.

[32:45] Brendon Henderson: The Weisler stopped focusing on their original responsibilities of marketing the show and instead started calling the creative shots. The pair were known for operating at a high level when placed in the heat of battle. I mean, it was ultimately their decisions that took Annie Get Your Gun from a flop to a Broadway smash. SFX Entertainment was on high alert too. And almost instantly, the power struggles began, with the positions being dispersed amongst an assembly line of different producers. Lynn Ahrens would describe the situation as never knowing who was going to come out of the elevator the next day, with the rules changing constantly. The fostered level of trust that had been established among the higher-ups of the creative team began to crumble, specifically between the composers, the director, and the Weisler following a huge dispute over royalty payments.

[33:36] Brendon Henderson: Now, even though the argument would ultimately be settled, the lines had been etched into the sand. Original costume designer Catherine Zuber was met with the elephant-sized responsibility of making the actors on stage appear as their Dr. Seuss counterparts. The problem is, she went a little too far with the unwieldy cartoonish structure of the designs. One night, Lynn Ahrens was actually sitting in the back of the theater, and she started crying, saying, "Oh no, it's a children's musical, isn't it?" Which I'm not sure what they expected. It's Dr. Seuss. It's not Shakespeare. Perhaps what got so many investors and audience members excited was this idea of a dark, edgy, and dangerous show that was being promoted through the marketing. Because let me tell you, when I think of dark and edgy, I think of Dr. Seuss.

[34:43] Brendon Henderson: Yeah. It was never that Zuber's designs were bad. They just weren't what Ahrens and Flaherty had in mind with their original vision. They didn't want the characters to look like the cartoons, but rather to be depicted as individuals. They all had certain quirks that could be adapted into human clothing. Well, Zuber was ready to make the adjustments. And she specifically said so when she put ears and a tail on Horton, saying that nothing was set in stone and that she was open to making changes. Instead, she got fired. Yeah. The image of seeing Zuber crying in an alleyway, it really helped to boost the morale of the casting crew. Now, while many may literally the next day, costume designer William Ivy Long was brought in to help redesign the show. He instructed the cast to go out and buy an all-black outfit. This is what they would wear while he created new colorful costumes.

[35:41] Brendon Henderson: And that had to be it. A lot of people thought that was the end of any major crew changes. But they were all in for a surprise when the Weisler decided to go full Godfather and kill off the remaining members of the original five families. Frank Galati, the show's original director, and whose work included the Tony Award winning adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath. Now, Galati was applauded for being a great actor's director. He helped the performers figure out their character motivations while also adding realistic dimensions to them in the process. Galati would go on record stating, "I don't know how to be more of an absolutist. I have strong ideas, but there are plenty of times working in the theater when I certainly don't know the answer."

[36:55] Brendon Henderson: Slowly but surely, Galati could tell that Marshall wasn't just going to be a show doctor. He was going to become the full-time director. And his assumptions came true when one day, the Weisler suggested to him that they just didn't want him around anymore. And so, Galati got on a plane, flew back to Chicago, and left the show. The reckoning was almost complete. There was just one person left to finish the transition. Set designer, Eugene Lee. Now, while there were many elements of the show that were becoming corrupted, the Weisler set their sights on Lee's set design as being the main problem. But Lee felt that the technical elements were being used as scapegoats and finally reached his breaking point, leaving the production a little while after Galati. In the span of a few weeks, the production had already lost its original director, costume designer, and set designer.

[37:55] Brendon Henderson: The environment was tense. But the higher-ups, they now had a new goal. To hit audiences with the old razzle dazzle. Rob Marshall, the show's new director, was dedicated to taking audiences on a ride to a fanciful place populated by familiar characters. He wanted to create a show that was as fun for adults as it was for kids. The production crew became obsessed with creating a show that would be fit for a Broadway stage. One that glimmered with spectacle. But when getting lost in this idea of what a Broadway show is, they forgot about the original concepts that made Seussical what it was. Slowly but surely, that small little dust speck began to grow. Pop influences began to find their way in. And there was nothing that Ahrens and Flaherty could do to stop it.

[38:56] Brendon Henderson: The best example of this comes in the song "Notice Me Horton," which was originally intended to be a short, simple ballad with beautiful orchestration for Gertrude McFuzz. And it finds her illustrating how she uses some pills to enhance the length of her tail to get Horton to notice her, but how now she just wants him to notice her for who she truly is. The version that everybody knows nowadays is a duet between the two love interests. And it goes a little bit like this.

[39:37] Brendon Henderson: But I feel as if I'm ready to confess to you the feelings that I've hidden with great diligence and labor. Beyond the facade of your odd little next door neighbor. She then goes on to say, "My eyes are too small, I have very large feet, and I'm not very proud of my pitiful tweet." Now, sure, this makes for a short, fun, pop-driven song, but the emotional heart of the piece is missing. And very few people know this, but it's actually because a verse was cut. In the Broadway version, she says, "I'm ready to confess to you the feelings," but then goes on to state facts about her physical appearance. In the original Boston version, however, the duet was actually a solo, with Horton never acknowledging her existence at all. And the verse goes like this.

[40:41] Brendon Henderson: No one's ever looked twice at Miss Gertrude McFuzz. But this tale makes me almost twice what I was. And I did it for you, so you'd notice me more. With the cutting of this line, it became apparent what Seussical was turning into. They were sacrificing the motivations for creating compelling characters in exchange for a pop-driven Broadway spectacle. Start with a bang, end with a bang. One report even recalls the director, Rob Marshall, stating urgently towards one of the songs, "What is this?"

[41:21] Brendon Henderson: Where's the brass? I can barely hear this. Now, of course, with the cutting of Gertrude's line, there also came the cutting of the Lorax. The show was very long. It was running at about three hours. And so, when looking for places to save time, poor Lorax got the boot. His section alone was about 12 to 13 minutes. Of course, they got it down to five once they left Boston. But something kept pulling at original composer Steven Flaherty, who decided they were either going to do the whole number, or they just weren't gonna do it at all. The problem is that while the number was great, it pulled away focus from the through line that revolved around Horton and Jojo as they tried to be understood. And so, the section got cut. The original plan was to take the Lorax from one spot and move him into a short, fun, pop driven number that went salasalu. But as is evident, that wasn't working either.

[42:27] Brendon Henderson: Eddie Korbich, the man who had originally played the once slur in the Lorax section, received a phone call from Aaron's and Flaherty. We're in a testament to the professional and respectful artist they are. They told him, we're so sorry, but the number just isn't going to work. We can fully understand if you don't want to be in the show anymore, we're not gonna make you stay. But for Eddie, who had been in the production since the very beginning at the New York readings, he wasn't going to give up that easily. He was too in love with the project. And so, he responded to Aaron's and Flaherty by simply stating, but can I stay though? And that is probably the best example of how much Seussical meant to everybody who was involved in the since the early readings. They were so in love with the beautiful show that they had seen during the workshops that they were going to stick with it through thick and thin.

[43:39] Brendon Henderson: And the announcement that the last week of performances would be canceled to allow for a reworking of the show only fueled the negative perception that was reaching a fever pitch among the public. Newfound internet chat rooms allowed theater enthusiasts the most in-depth look into a show's process. And it didn't help that there was a mole in the show's midst. It's almost as if there were a mole in the White House. That's just ridiculous. Now, Broadway shows are never perfect when they're first starting out. And that initial tryout period is crucial for giving the artists the space that they need to create a truly magnificent show. Seussical was in a strange predicament where they were dealing with a form of communication that had never been seen on Broadway before. Instead of having the privacy to work without criticisms, the all that chat chat board, among others, was bringing the backstage happenings of Seussical directly in front of the public eye.

[44:47] Brendon Henderson: Someone in the cast was posting updates about everything that was going wrong with the production, all the way from the constant rewrites to the firings. And he only found out by reading it online. It got so bad that at one point the Weislers gathered the entire casting crew together and said, Hey, there's if there's anyone who's unhappy here, there's no hard feelings. Just tell us and you can go. Internet poster was invited to tour the production. Everybody was expecting this 45-year-old guy with glasses to come walking through the door. So imagine their surprise when it was a 14-year-old boy. When it came time to move to the Richard Rogers Theater in New York, advanced ticket sales were less than one million dollars. And while this may seem like a lot of money, they had gone over budget by two million, bringing the overall cost of Seussical to 10.5 million dollars.

[46:01] Brendon Henderson: Now, the show had been reworked at Tattell, and a new number for the Cat in the Hat had been added. One that 20 years down the line would be used by a skinny Canadian YouTube boy as he tries to explain the court proceedings between Live End and the SEC. Exactly as they had intended it. The part of the Cat in the Hat would be portrayed by David Shiner in his first professional speaking role. Prior to Seussical, Shiner had earned a living and gained much recognition for his work as a mime. But still, Shiner hadn't spoken on stage since college. However, he was ready to challenge himself as any good artist would be.

[47:15] Brendon Henderson: Beautiful message to say, and we sort of just we knew we weren't delivering it in the right form. And I think that was frustrating for the company because we all knew the heart and the message that this piece has to say. And so when we sort of felt that we finally got over a hump in terms of how we were presenting the show, I think the company really, you know, realized that we were taking a step forward and just came along for the ride with us, which was great.

[47:49] Brendon Henderson: November 30th, 2000. Seussical is ready to open on Broadway. And now, the sweet little dust spec is miles away from what Aaron and Flaherty originally imagined. Gone was the subtlety of a show that focused on creating compelling characters, and in its place was an overstuffed Broadway behemoth that figured, well, if we can't win him over with story, we can sure as heck do it with some fancy set design. Following Eugene Lee's departure in Boston, Tony Walton was brought in to liven up the sets. And oh my goodness, liven them up he did. Whereas Lee's designs were inspired by a bare bones black box theater aesthetic, Walton's designs were drenched with a big Broadway theatricality. Everything was flashier and more in your face. William Ivey Long's new costumes now brimmed with color. And actually, a surprisingly sweet simplicity.

[48:47] Brendon Henderson: The Who's costumes, they now popped with an eye-catching yellow. And the main characters had a design that added a human element. In a way, Seussical was pretty revolutionary for how they decided to implement the costumes. Where instead of trying to create these anamorphic Seuss characters, they instead were human caricatures. This is a style that's becoming more prominent on Broadway, especially with shows like SpongeBob SquarePants The Musical. Yes, it is a thing. We've covered it on the channel. By opening night, it was apparent that Seussical had to deliver. For months, industry professionals had speculated that it could become the next big mega hit, dethroning The Lion King and running for years. The show had been cut down to around two hours and 15 minutes, not including a 15-minute intermission, meaning that hopefully we had streamlined the story.

[49:34] Brendon Henderson: The opening night cast would consist of David Shiner as the Cat in the Hat, Kevin Chamberlain as Horton, Janine Lamana as Gertrude McFuzz, Michelle Pack as Maisie LeBird, Sharon Wilkins as the Sour Kangaroo, Stuart Zagnet as the Mayor of Whooville, Anthony Blair Hall as Jojo, and Eddie Korbich as Grandpa Who. The lights would dim, and the Cat in the Hat would pop up on a huge wall to welcome the audience to Seussical. For the next two hours, audiences would watch Horton as he tries to save Who and Hatch and A. They'd watch Gertrude use some pills to enhance the length of her tail to get him to notice her. And they would watch JoJo as he tries to convince his parents that it's okay to think unique thoughts. And of course, there were a bunch of other Seussian characters, references, and storylines jammed in there too.

[50:55] Brendon Henderson: By the time the cast took their final bows, everybody was on edge, waiting to see what the reviews would say. Had all the sacrifices, the firings, the power struggles, and the over-the-top changes been enough to save the show? Well, you wouldn't be in an event called What Went Wrong with Seussical if they had, now would you? Audiences were still confused as to what the show was trying to go for. Was it a show for kids? Was it a show for adults? What was going on? As for the critics, they felt that the show was trying too hard to be The Lion King, and that they were compensating for the show's inadequacies through spectacle. The flashiness didn't reflect the story. And the mixture of the character-driven performances that had been implemented during Galati's tenure with the show didn't work.

[51:47] Brendon Henderson: Critics felt as though they were watching two different shows going on at the same time. These critics, they didn't want the big Broadway spectacle. They wanted the less brassy, more intimate, and more imaginative show that invited people to visit the world of Dr. Seuss. As the new year rolled around, the Weislers had become desperate to boost ticket sales. The max potential gross that they could be bringing in per week was around 755,427. But on average, they were only bringing in about $400,000. The show cost half a million dollars a week just to run, meaning that they weren't making enough money to pay off the bills. Following these decreasing ticket sales, David Shiner took a four-week vacation to return to Germany to visit his wife and child. While the Weislers brought in someone who they were sure would put butts in the seats. Rosie O'Donnell.

[52:58] Brendon Henderson: Hi, I'm Monica Sagata from 4 o'clock, New York, and this is the Rosie O'Donnell show. On today's show, Madonna and Benjamin Brett. With her hit show and coming off a string of films, Rosie O'Donnell's name recognition was high in January of 2001 when she was brought in to play the Cat in the Hat for a four-week run. Now O'Donnell was a firm believer in Seussical. Having had the cast on her show twice and even showing a six-minute behind-the-scenes featurette to try to sway the public's reception. It was during a phone call with producer Fran Weisler that she told her how they were having a tough time selling tickets. To which Rosie responded by saying, Well, I can come in if you want. She had done the same thing by jumping on board the 1997 Titanic Musical, helping to keep that afloat for around two years. Hopefully, the O'Donnell charm would be enough to keep Seussical running.

[53:56] Brendon Henderson: Now, with the announcement that she would be joining the cast, ticket sales increased from around $292,000 for the week of January 7th to around $551,000 when Rosie was in her full swing. Now, many criticized the move for being stunt casting at its finest, but it did work. And in the final week of O'Donnell's performances, she brought in $618,000. Of course, there were a few snickers from backstage, but for the most part, everyone was really happy to be working with her, saying that she was a class act behind the scenes. The Rosie era came to an end. And now it was official. The way to keep Seussical alive was through celebrities.

[55:01] Brendon Henderson: It got so bad that soon the Weislers just stopped talking to him and the entire company as a whole.

[55:08] Brendon Henderson: Everyone was on edge, knowing that at any moment their role could be taken away and given to somebody with a much bigger name.

[55:15] Brendon Henderson: This disconnect of communication meant the only way that they could figure out what was going on was by reading it online.

[55:23] Brendon Henderson: Eventually, Shiner decided that enough was enough, and he left the production.

[55:28] Brendon Henderson: In his mind, he knew that he had nailed the part and was proud that he had been able to learn how to sing and to dance.

[55:35] Brendon Henderson: He may not have been Fred of Sare, but he was the Cat in the Hat.

[55:39] Brendon Henderson: Soon, Olympic gymnast Kathy Rigby was brought in, bringing a wonderful athletic energy to the role.

[55:46] Brendon Henderson: And by March, in what is probably the most desperate attempt to appeal to a young hip crowd, the Weislers replaced the role of JoJo with teen pop sensation Aaron Carter.

[56:01] Brendon Henderson: For Kevin Chamberlain, Aaron's inclusion proved to be an interesting study in psychology.

[56:06] Brendon Henderson: When one night, after a production, he saw Aaron standing from the balcony of his dressing room, spitting on the fans below.

[56:14] Brendon Henderson: Is that just like a rite of passage for teen pop sensations? Because I'm pretty sure that Beaver did the same thing.

[56:21] Brendon Henderson: But soon, the celebrity casting flame started to die out.

[56:24] Brendon Henderson: And by the 2001 Tony Awards, Seussical was only nominated for one.

[56:29] Brendon Henderson: And that went to Kevin Chamberlain for his performance as Horton.

[56:34] Brendon Henderson: Following the low amount of award nominations and declining ticket sales, Seussical would close on May 20th, 2001, after 197 performances and 34 previews.

[56:52] Brendon Henderson: But there had to be a reason why those involved were so dedicated.

[57:02] Brendon Henderson: And so, the sweet little dust speck floated off Broadway.

[57:07] Brendon Henderson: So much had happened after leaving Toronto that the show had become weighed down under tons of glitz and glamour.

[57:14] Brendon Henderson: And in turn, it lost its soul.

[57:18] Brendon Henderson: But there had to be something. There had to be some reason why they were so dedicated to the story that they were telling.

[57:36] Brendon Henderson: Hidden meanings cut out words, so intangible.

[57:50] Brendon Henderson: But something happened.

[57:56] Brendon Henderson: Things became cloudy, but the show still had so much to say floating out of the public eye, away far from the public eye, changing while no one else is watching.

[58:33] Brendon Henderson: They say the show was horrible.

[58:37] Brendon Henderson: Okay, say it was horrible.

[58:41] Brendon Henderson: They don't know of the magic they're missing, not what it seems.

[58:51] Brendon Henderson: Yes, it can grow out of the ground, and bigger than you know it's not profound, but why should it be two small tweaks to the musical?

[59:13] Brendon Henderson: One small tweak to the musical set the story free floating out of the public eye, away far from the public eye, freedom while no one else is watching, changing tones for the audience.

[59:46] Brendon Henderson: Mixing, finding a nice balance.

[59:49] Brendon Henderson: The kids, those are the ones who enjoy this.

[59:56] Brendon Henderson: Not what it seems.

[59:59] Brendon Henderson: Yes, it can grow out of the ground and bigger than you know.

[1:00:10] Brendon Henderson: It's not profound, but why should it be two small tweaks to the musical?

[1:00:22] Brendon Henderson: One small tweak to the musical set the story free.

[1:00:35] Brendon Henderson: And so Aaron's and Flaherty went back to the drawing board.

[1:00:38] Brendon Henderson: After producer Ken Gentry decided to give the show a national tour.

[1:00:43] Brendon Henderson: With the help of director Christopher Ashley, they changed the story to where instead of seeing it through the eyes of an elephant in Horton, audiences would instead see it through the eyes of a child in JoJo.

[1:00:54] Brendon Henderson: They changed his character from being the son of the mayor of Hooville to instead being an anonymous child that gets pulled into the world of Dr. Seuss by the Cat in the Hat.

[1:01:03] Brendon Henderson: This would add a nice layer of friction between the two characters.

[1:01:07] Brendon Henderson: With JoJo trying to solve all the plot points, only for the Cat to fill them with more conflict.

[1:01:13] Brendon Henderson: At the end of the show, JoJo would come to realize that chaos in the world is inevitable.

[1:01:19] Brendon Henderson: But there's a certain charm in that.

[1:01:22] Brendon Henderson: With these small changes, a small speck of dust began to re-emerge.

[1:01:36] Brendon Henderson: Not what it seems.

[1:01:41] Brendon Henderson: Yes, it can grow out of the ground.

[1:01:47] Brendon Henderson: And bigger than you know.

[1:01:51] Brendon Henderson: It's not profound.

[1:01:54] Brendon Henderson: But why should it be?

[1:01:59] Brendon Henderson: Two small tweaks to the musical.

[1:02:03] Brendon Henderson: One small tweak to the musical set the story free.

[1:02:48] Brendon Henderson: After the negativity and politics left the production, it became the beautiful, simple, and fun show that was always at its core.

[1:02:56] Brendon Henderson: In 2004, school, stock, and amateur companies began to embrace this new version of Seussical.

[1:03:02] Brendon Henderson: And it was later adapted to be presented in a new form of theater, called Theater for Young Audiences.

[1:03:07] Brendon Henderson: After the two composers were approached by Jeff Church.

[1:03:11] Brendon Henderson: Now, this was dedicated to presenting professional level productions to younger audiences.

[1:03:16] Brendon Henderson: What resulted was a stripped back, 60-minute version of the show that would go on to be called Seussical Jr.

[1:03:23] Brendon Henderson: In 2007, gone was the dark, edgy, and dangerous show, and in its place was a bright, light-hearted one that could spark the imaginations of children.

[1:03:33] Brendon Henderson: In 2007, the show would return to the same city that had chewed it up and spit it back out again nearly seven years prior.

[1:03:41] Brendon Henderson: When the show re-premiered off Broadway, critics were in love with the new 90-minute version of the show that was able to retain the sweet and humble songs from Broadway while also cutting back on the spectacle.

[1:03:41] Brendon Henderson: It had been re-tailored for children and left enough room for audiences' imaginations to contribute to the show.

[1:04:00] Brendon Henderson: By getting rid of the 10,000 cooks in the kitchen, the process was able to more easily embrace the collaboration necessary for making a show succeed.

[1:04:09] Brendon Henderson: It's hard enough just to get a show onto Broadway.

[1:04:12] Brendon Henderson: It's even harder to make it stay.

[1:04:14] Brendon Henderson: As with most things in life, everything needs to be working in unison.

[1:04:19] Brendon Henderson: And by getting out of the limelight, everybody involved was able to guarantee that the gears were moving smoothly.

[1:04:28] Brendon Henderson: One other major accomplishment that the show was able to achieve was bringing back the simplicity that made it such a success in its early readings.

[1:04:37] Brendon Henderson: The way that Dr. Seuss had made the Cat in the Hat work by using a refined economy of line is the same way that Seussical was able to regain its charm.

[1:04:47] Brendon Henderson: They cut the excess and realized that is where it thrives.

[1:04:51] Brendon Henderson: This simplicity is what's attributed to the show's longevity, especially amongst schools, and that's one of the loveliest things about this show.

[1:05:23] Brendon Henderson: It has a lovely theme of teamwork, family, and acceptance that literally has a role for everybody.

[1:05:29] Brendon Henderson: It doesn't matter if it's Horton the Elephant or if it's Yertle the Turtle.

[1:05:33] Brendon Henderson: Seussical inspires young and adult minds alike about the importance of imagination and staying young at heart.

[1:05:42] Brendon Henderson: Today, the perception of Seussical has pulled a complete 180, and it's now one of the most staged shows in America.

[1:05:51] Brendon Henderson: In conclusion, a lot can be attributed to what went wrong with Seussical.

[1:05:56] Brendon Henderson: The advent of the internet robbed them of the privacy to focus on enhancing the show.

[1:06:00] Brendon Henderson: The behind-the-scenes politics resulted in too many cooks in the kitchen, which made the overall vision of the show too hazy.

[1:06:06] Brendon Henderson: The script had far too many storylines, characters, and thoughts, and ultimately, the show was crumbled by lofty expectations that could never be met.

[1:06:16] Brendon Henderson: This resulted in a perverted, bloated version of the original concepts that made Seussical such a success with everybody who saw it in the early readings.

[1:06:25] Brendon Henderson: But this brings up the question of what makes a Broadway show a Broadway show.

[1:06:30] Brendon Henderson: Sure, there are expectations that it's visually stunning, but it can't be done in a way that sacrifices the other elements.

[1:06:38] Brendon Henderson: Everything has to be working in unison, with the overall goal being telling a great fun story.

[1:06:53] Brendon Henderson: It doesn't matter if it's an elaborate backdrop or if it's a chair.

[1:06:58] Brendon Henderson: If everything is working well, and the audience is willing to suspend their disbelief by investing in a show's characters and storylines, less can be more.

[1:07:27] Brendon Henderson: And their story was set free.