For out-starting upstarts of all ages, here is a wonderfully wise and blessedly brief graduation speech from the one and only Dr. Seuss. In his inimitable, humorous verse he addresses the Great Balancing Act (life itself, and the ups and downs it presents) while encouraging us to find the success that lies within us.
The Lorax
Long before saving the earth became a global concern, Dr. Seuss, speaking through his character the Lorax, warned against mindless progress and the danger it posed to the earth's natural beauty.
This production combines two of Seuss's most famous fables. OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO, once offered as a graduation speech, tracks life's transitions. John Lithgow follows the rhythms and rhymes that express the ups and downs of life. His performance has an air of authority that is comforting. He shifts tone to fit the shifting moods--offering jocularity when life seems devastating, compassion in the face of losses and confusion. Mark Levinson's score spurs listeners on to success. THE LORAX is an allegory of the Earth's ruin, told through wacky Seuss characters. The musical accompaniment goes from magically bright to dark and frightening. Ted Danson begins slowly, pausing to take in a glorious world of bounty. Pacing and volume increase as the ancient, wise Lorax recounts a story of destruction and the hope for undoing the ruin. S.W. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
