CAZENOVIA — After 16 years, Cazenovia College Artist-in-Residence David Lowenstein is bringing “Seussical” back to the stage of the Catherine Cummings Theatre as the college’s final musical production.
Directed and choreographed by Lowenstein, the show will run April 20-23, with performances Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
“Seussical” is a musical comedy by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty based on the many children’s stories of Dr. Seuss, including favorites like “Horton Hears a Who!,” “Horton Hatches the Egg,” and “Miss Gertrude McFuzz.”
“‘Seussical’ was the first show I directed/choreographed in Caz,” said Lowenstein, who holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in musical theater from Syracuse University. “I wanted to bookend my experience.”
Lowenstein added that the show is also special to him because he was involved with it from the very first time it was read aloud, and it represents the first time in his performing career that a Broadway writing team created a role for him.
“I got a call from Lynn Ahrens saying she and Stephen Flaherty were writing a musical based on the works of Dr. Seuss,” he said. “They wrote the Bass Wickersham with me in mind. They invited me to join the first reading of the show. Over the next two years, we did two industry readings in NYC and a fully staged workshop in Toronto. Because of a shift in the balance of power regarding decisions made for the Broadway production, I ended up as a Swing in the Broadway production, meaning I understudied the role that was written for me. I covered all the men in the ensemble, including the featured roles of The Grinch, Judge Yertle the Turtle, and General Genghis Kahn Schmitz.”
The upcoming production of “Seussical” will feature Cazenovia College faculty, staff, and students, as well as community members.
According to Lowenstein, one of the reasons the college brought him on as an artist-in-residence 16 years ago was to help create a bridge between the theatre and the local community.
“I have been extremely lucky to have a group of talented and enthusiastic community members who have been in many of our shows and have become dear friends,” he said.
Lowenstein pointed specifically to Beth Ann Kempf, Eric Feola, Maggie Dougherty, Renee Joseph, John Melvin, Kevin Mann, Jim Tobey, and Cindy Bell Tobey, who will be making her debut in “Seussical.” He also extended gratitude to the Cazenovia College faculty and staff members who have lent their talents to his productions, including Colleen Prossner, Sue Berger, Stewart Weisman, Roxy Spano, and Maureen Louis, and to the many middle school and high school students involved in the shows over the years.
“As bittersweet as it may be with the college closing, we are so pleased to be a part of David’s ‘full circle’ production of ‘Seussical,’” said Tobey. “Not the least of our excitement is the fact that our youngest daughter, Glenn, was in the cast of David’s first production, which was the same musical 16 years ago. . . Aside from a real appreciation of David’s interest, experience, and talent, what strikes me most is his uncanny ability to work past obstacles, cast, crew, staging, always in a positive, feel-good manner. He is a real joy to be in the theater with.”
For his first nine years at the college, Lowenstein directed a play and a musical each year. When he was hired for a full-time position at Syracuse University, the number of productions was scaled back to one.
“I’ve done one musical a year except for the COVID year when we did a virtual play that we recorded on Zoom,” he said.
In addition to putting on the annual show, Lowenstein teaches two classes per semester that rotate between effective speaking, acting workshop, and theater production.
Lowenstein and his husband, Al Annotto met doing theater in Syracuse in 1982 and moved to Cazenovia in the summer of 2006.
“After 25 years working in NYC on many Broadway shows, we wanted to raise our children in a more rural setting,” Lowenstein said. “We always loved Cazenovia and are grateful to have built a life here.”
Last December, Cazenovia College announced its decision to permanently close its doors following the spring 2023 semester.
As the time to say goodbye to the college nears, Lowenstein said he hopes to have entertained and enlightened his audiences and to have provided an outlet to students at the college who are passionate about theater.
“I have gained far more than I have given,” he said. “I am and will always be grateful to the college and the community for the support and encouragement I have received throughout the years.”
Reserve tickets for “Seussical” online at signupgenius.com/go/30e084aaeac2aa7fd0-suessical – /.
General seating ticket prices are $3 for Cazenovia College students, $10 for seniors (65+) and children (12 and under), and $15 for adults.
