Plainfield Student to Perform as 'The Cat in the Hat' in Seussical the Musical

For 16 year old Zoe Decker, playing The Cat in the Hat is more than just a role – it’s a message. Decker, who is home schooled, is excited to play the iconic role in Aurora Spotlight Youth Theater’s current show, Seussical Jr., now at the Batavia Performing Arts Center thru Sunday.

Says Decker of her character, “I love being the Cat in The Hat because we are so similar. We are both sarcastic, sassy, and love fashionable head wear. I value originality and imagination, the Cat cultivates these qualities in every child she has helped. I am so excited to bring her to life on the stage.”

The show, which features many beloved Dr Seuss favorites, centers around Horton, the Elephant, and his attempt to save both the Whos livng on a dust speck, and an abandoned bird egg simultaneously. Audiences will fondly recall characters from beloved Seuss stories, such as Yertle the Turtle, Mayzie, the Grinch, Gertrude – the bird with the one feathered tail, and many more.

It is in meeting JoJo, the son of Whoville’s mayor, however, that we see Decker’s point. “I think Seussical is about accepting your quirks and coming to love them. In the beginning of the show, before my character gets involved, Jojo is just coming to realize that he has this imagination, these “thinks” that he can’t seem to get rid of. His parents don’t fully understand him and neither does anyone else in his town. Then comes the Cat, who brings Jojo’s wonderful imagination to life and convinces him that his “thinks” are amazing and worth thinking. She helps Jojo do what I think is the hardest thing someone ever has to do: love the things that make him different. It’s because Jojo is able to do this that the entire show comes together and it all works out in the end. It’s a beautiful message.”

Performances for Seussical Jr. run thru Sunday, October 11th, and tickets can be obtained by calling the Spotlight Youth Theater box office at 847.516.2298 or visiting www.spotlight.org