Seussical Audition Notice

St. James Theatre in Arlington Heights, IL is proud to present its summer 2026 show, Seussical!

Seussical is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

Now one of the most performed shows in America, Seussical is a fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza! Tony winners, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Lucky Stiff, My Favorite Year, Once on This Island, Ragtime), have lovingly brought to life all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, Mayzie La Bird and a little boy with a big imagination – Jojo. The colorful characters transport us from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos.

The Cat in the Hat tells the story of Horton, an elephant who discovers a speck of dust that contains the Whos, including Jojo, a Who child sent off to military school for thinking too many "thinks." Horton faces a double challenge: not only must he protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must guard an abandoned egg, left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant.

St. James Theatre is a community theater and roles are unpaid. Adult performers and children aged 8 and up (younger actors will be considered if an adult family member is also cast) are welcome to audition. Unless strictly and specifically mandated from the playwright, all roles are open and available to anyone regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or body type. Principal roles will be double cast.

Auditions will be Monday, April 13th and Wednesday, April 15th from 6-9:30pm at the St. James Parish Center in Arlington Heights, IL.

Performances will be July 16th-26th, 2026 at the St. James Parish Center in Arlington Heights, IL.

Rehearsals will be Sunday-Thursday, 6:30 PM-9:30 PM beginning April 29th.

Please fill out and submit our online audition form on TheaterForms and make an appointment for your audition. Have your calendar handy and be prepared to enter rehearsal conflicts. You will be asked to upload a headshot (a JPEG file) and a theatrical résumé (a PDF file) if you have one. If you don’t have either of these files, you can still submit the form.

Please prepare a 1-minute selection of a musical theatre song of your choice that best showcases your voice and acting ability. No a cappella auditions or karaoke tracks will be allowed. Please bring clearly printed sheet music to your audition. An accompanist will be provided. Songs from the musical are allowed but any musical theatre selection is welcome.

Be prepared to complete a dance audition, taught by the choreographer. Please wear comfortable clothing and shoes that allow for movement.

Video auditions will be accepted only for those unable to attend in person auditions. Please fill out the audition form, upload a link to your audition video, and select wait-list for your time slot.

We are grateful to everyone who shares their time and talent with us during auditions. Please note that not all who audition will be cast, but every performance is valued and remembered for future opportunities.