The character JoJo from the “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” expresses happiness that everything turned out all right at the end of the musical “Seussical Kids.” The play was a project of The Donna Reed Foundation Children’s Musical Theatre Workshop. In just a week, the kids, together with volunteers, prepared the musical for a performance at the Denison High School Fine Arts Center on Saturday. “Seussical Kids” centered mainly on the Dr. Seuss books “Horton Hears a Who!” and “Horton Hatches the Egg,” along with supporting roles by the Cat in the Hat and Thing 1 and Thing 2. The part of JoJo was played by Madilyn Nelson. See more photos below.

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A week of work puts Dr. Seuss on the stage

**Members of the cast pose at the end of the song “Oh, The Thinks You Can Think!”**

Many of Dr. Seuss’s books came to life on the stage at the Denison High School Fine Arts Center on Saturday afternoon when The Donna Reed Foundation Children’s Musical Theatre Workshop presented “Seussical Kids.”

The Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2, Horton the elephant, JoJo from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” and others acted, danced and sang 15 songs, all rehearsed and ready for the stage in just a week.

A page full of volunteers helped to make the performance come together. The musical was directed by Laurel Olsen, who also did the choreography, Liz Kempfert was the music director, Trisha Boettger was the set director, and Sarah Wagner was the costume and make-up director. All the directors were supported by crews.

Any profits from the production will go to the Donna Reed Foundation.

**Mr. Mayor and Mrs. Mayor admonish JoJo for thinking too many thinks.**

Following is a list of the youngsters in the cast and the parts they played.

JoJo: Madilyn Nelson

Cat in the Hat: Autumn Koch

Thing 1: Aiden Sis

Thing 2: Jaylinn Koch

Horton: Jenner Fineran

Gertrude McFuzz: Claire Olsen

Mayzie La Bird: Claire Geake

Sour Kangaroo: Emily Vangsness

Young Kangaroo: Jaelynn Boeck

Mr. Mayor: Andrew Earl

Mrs. Mayor: Esther Schultz

Wickersham Brothers: Ezra Bygness, Gennar Loger, Gavin Skarin, Seth Ullrich, Rhodes Wagner

Young Wickershams: Isaiah Kempfert, Caleb Lauderbaugh

Pretty Birds: Brinley Fink, June Geake, Emmy Oxendale, Jessie Schmidt

Jungle Citizens: Spencer Ball, Camilla Bonner, Kennady Brand, Sean Hughes, Rehder Koch, Harper Lee, Sophia Luth, Abby McCargar, Harper Phipps, Aspen Steinkuehler

Talk Show Host: Madison Blume

Vlad Vladikoff: Jaxon Edick

Marshal: Samantha Hiler

Judge Yertle: Sophia Hughes

The Whos: Laynee Backer, Makenna Boettger, Evie Bonner, Cecelia Geake, Harper Irving, Mae Lally, Ike Monner, Raven Oxendale, Olivia Patterson, Sophia Patterson

Fish: Bennett Goslar, Nora Lally, Brayten Reisz

Dancing Fish: Eve Anthofer, Elliot Fineran, London Frehse, Hannah Hall, Willow Hodne, Zoey Hoffman, Brinkley Johnson, Jesse Kempfert, Brielle Phipps, Sophia Rasmussen, Charleston Wagner, Merrick Wagner