Imagine several favorite Dr. Seuss characters on stage singing, dancing and retelling a curious compilation of some of the master’s most famous works.

This weekend, imagine no more, as Parkland High School Theatre will present “Seussical Jr.,” a fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza that will capture the imagination of the young and rekindle the childhood of the young at heart.

With music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, “Seussical Jr.” brings to life characters from more than 15 beloved Seuss books, including “Horton the Elephant,” “The Cat in the Hat,” “Getrude McFuzz,” “Iazy Mayzie” and a little boy with a big imagination - JoJo.

Brilliantly colorful costumes and spectacular lighting help to transport the audience from the Jungle of Nool to Whoville and beyond.

Lighting designer, sophomore Alissa Le, has worked tirelessly to make sure each scene is perfectly lit.

“I find it really interesting how lighting impacts and enhances the show,” Le said,

“This production is very light-enhancing. It’s not really based on environment, but rather the moods that you feel. Colorful enough that it doesn’t clash, but interesting for the children.”

Stage manager senior Asiyah Bhallo, who was an assistant stage manager for the spring musical, “Titanic,” is achieving a goal she set for herself a few year ago.

“When I joined the crew my sophomore year, I told myself that senior year I really want to assist or manage,” Bhallo said. “So, I put in a lot of my time. I really wanted it so I worked toward it.”

The themes of hard work and perseverance run throughout the play both in front of and behind the curtain.

Director Elizabeth Smith and Producer Andrea Roposh are very proud of the work put into this production.

“I am very proud of the woman power in this show,” Smith said.

With director, producer, stage manager, lighting designer, and many of the crew members being female, the behind the scenes work is women-run.

“That is highly unusual in theater. It was amazing the low number of females versus males directing in theater,” Smith said, something she would like to see evolve.

Madison Lichtenwalner who plays The Cat in the Hat and the Narrator described her role in the play as the audience’s clever guider.

“I show JoJo the Jungle of Noll and Whoville,” Lichtenwalner said. “I get to communicate directly with the audience. It’s a very spunky role and I get to make my character up as I go, because I get to follow what the cat does.”

“Seussical Jr” also includes the Parkland debut for Molly Cecelia Phares, a second grader from Parkway Manor Elementary who plays Baby Elephant Bird, who hatches from the egg Horton has been guarding and gives hope to the world.

“It makes me feel good to play the baby elephant,” Phares said. “I’m really excited.”

Phares was accompanied by her mom at dress rehearsal, Patricia Risley, a Parkland alumna and an internationally acclaimed opera singer, who was an inaugural inductee into the PHS Wall of Honor in 2012.

“Molly is very excited to be representing the second graders of the Parkland School District,” Risley said. “I’m proud of her. I’m on the other side of it now and it’s kind of really cool to see her on this stage.”

Smith and Roposh are especially fulfilled by this production, by what it means to them and the positive messages they hope it will communicate to others.

“When we were looking at shows, we really liked the aspect of ‘Seussical Jr.’ and anti-bullying,” Roposh said. “While doing research, I actually discovered ‘Seussical Jr.’ was one of the first shows performed at Sandy Hook after they went back to school.

“They decided to do this because they loved the message had a whole community coming together and supporting one another and defending those who can’t necessarily defend themselves.”

Acceptance and anti-bullying are at the heart of the play.

“This show sends a really, really good message to kids about acceptance for everybody,” said sophomore Aubree Williams, who plays Mayzie the Bird, a flamboyant, fun and energetic character who along with her posse is the mean girl in the story.

“She likes to make fun of Gertrude, and that’s not very nice, but in the end she realizes that she has to give away her egg to be a better person,” Williams said.

Nick Hausman attributes the play with making him an even better person through his role as Horton the Elephant.

“I love making people happy and I love Horton’s kindness,” Hausman said. “Playing the part has taught me about the real world. Even though I play a fictional character, it has helped me to learn about myself and others; to feel their pain when they’ve been hurt. I love being a part of a district initiative against bullying.”

Horton’s best friend, Gertrude, is played by Ava Del Rio, and is a shining example of standing up for who she is and what is right.

“She is a little quirky and awkward, but the best thing about her is she a very good friend of Horton and she will do anything to get him to notice her, including finding his clover and getting a very long tail,” Del Rio said. “She gets bullied, but she ends up being her true self and that shines through.”

“The play is based on 15 different Dr. Seuss books. Horton is the main thread, but the story is about accepting the diversity of who you are and not trying to fit in, but it’s also about simply being kind to one another. That is how you change the world,” Smith said.

‘Seussical Jr.’ will be seen by district second graders on Thursday before it opens to the public, but Smith said the cast has already taken the message to a group of students at Schnecksville Elementary.

In keeping with the anti-bullying theme, Smith tweaked the show a bit to include the “chose to think before you speak” campaign.

“T.H.I.N.K. is an acronym for the questions ‘Is it true, is it helpful, is it inspiring, is it necessary, is it kind?’” Smith said, who added lyrics into the song “Oh the Thinks You Can Think!” and into the script to relay these concepts.

From the Jungle of Noll to the tiny town of Whoville, the thespians of Parkland Theatre transport the audience through Seuss’s works into an imaginary land where in the end everyone gets along, but not before learning some important lessons about acceptance of and respect for one another’s differences.

With the talents of set designer and technical director Alex Michaels, choreography by Kristen Smith, Seussical, Jr. is a delightful experience for the entire family.

“The whole point of the children’s show is to inspire young kids,” Williams said. “Also, hopefully they will leave and want to do theater or see more theater and keep the arts alive.”

“Seussical Jr.” will be performed 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Nov. 12 and 3 p.m. Nov. 13. at Parkland High School.

Tickets will be available at the door.