ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The Cat in the Hat is showing JoJo around in “Seussical”, the beloved musical inspired by the works of Dr. Seuss. The production opens with a hat on the ground and marks a significant return for Muhlenberg College’s Theatre and Dance Department.

For the first time since 2019, Muhlenberg is bringing back its summer musical program, reviving a long-standing tradition that was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The annual summer theater series began in 1981 but shut down during the pandemic.

“It sort of means everything to me,” said Jim Peck, a theater professor at Muhlenberg who is directing this summer’s production. “I love doing these shows. I’ve directed in summer theater many times, and it was such a loss for our program and really for the Valley when summer theatre went away.”

This summer’s production is “Seussical”, the musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty that brings together many of Dr. Seuss’ most recognizable characters. The story follows JoJo, a child whose imagination takes center stage.

“The character is someone who has a big, wild imagination but lives in a world where imagination isn’t entirely encouraged,” said Katelen Estrada, a Muhlenberg student who plays JoJo.

Peck said the musical’s message resonates strongly in today’s world.

“One of the most beautiful moments in the play is the Whos band together and they say, ‘We are here, we are here, we are here,'” Peck said. “I think that’s a story that our world needs right now.”

Cast members gathered Wednesday for a dress rehearsal ahead of three weeks of performances, with opening night scheduled for Friday.

“It’s challenging at times because “Seussical” is a really large show with a lot of moving parts, but it’s super fun to be able to put everything together and to just create a show with people,” said Dominick Borges, a student who plays Horton the Elephant.

Alongside the production, Muhlenberg will host SeussiCamp, a two-week performing arts camp for students in grades 6 through 8.

Participants will learn acting, singing and dancing skills before presenting a final showcase for family and friends.