(Photo by Gwen Sour) Quessa Brown, left, music director, teaches auditionees their parts for “Seussical the Musical” on Saturday at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg.

PARKERSBURG — Auditions took place Saturday at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg for its upcoming production of “Seussical The Musical”, drawing a large mix of children and adults from across the Mid-Ohio Valley.

Josh Woodard, director of the production, said the musical brings together multiple stories by Dr. Seuss, with a central focus on imagination, empathy and standing up for others.

“While there are over 20 different works referenced in the show, it really focuses on a boy named JoJo who’s getting in trouble for using his imagination too much, and the Cat in the Hat showing him that’s not such a bad thing,” Woodard said.

Woodard said the story also weaves together Horton’s efforts to protect the Whos in Horton Hears a Who! and his commitment in Horton Hatches the Egg, highlighting themes of compassion and believing in people who may not be heard.

“It’s basically about standing up for people who can’t stand up for themselves and not judging people for thinking differently than how you think,” he said.

(Photo by Gwen Sour) Director Josh Woodard prepares auditionees for “Seussical the Musical” on Saturday at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg.

The auditions drew strong interest, with nearly 90 people signing up, including close to 40 children, Woodard said. He said the production team structured auditions over several days to make the process more comfortable and respectful of participants’ time.

“One of the great things about community theater is seeing all of these different creative people coming together for a common purpose and creating a big, spectacular show,” Woodard said. “Everybody has their own talents, and seeing all those pieces fit together is kind of amazing.”

Production planning for Seussical is already underway, with designers working on a visual concept inspired by the original Dr. Seuss artwork. The set is expected to incorporate a mix of unit pieces and movable elements, giving the show a “pop-up book” style look.

Seussical: The Musical will be presented April 24, April 25, May 1, May 2, May 8 and May 9 at 7:30 p.m., with matinee performances April 26 and May 3 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are available at www.actors-guild.com/buy-tickets.

(Photo by Gwen Sour) Natalie Bradley, center, teaches choreography during auditions for “Seussical the Musical” at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg on Saturday.