“On the faraway island of Salamassond, Yertle the Turtle was king of the pond…until one day the king of them all decided the kingdom he ruled was too small.”
-Red Hot Chilli Peppers, “Yertle the Turtle”, based on the book of the same name by Dr. Seuss
Tyler Outlaw and Carson Baiz are set to make you see double as Yertle the Turtle in “Seussical Jr.” this April. The show, based on the many works on Theodor Seuss Geisel, will be performed by STEP VA Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to “empower(ing) people with disabilities and their families through creative experiences and sensory exploration.”
The two actors will be playing the older and younger generations of the character, which was split into two parts during auditions in December.
Tyler Outlaw will be playing Yertle the Turtle Jr. in the show. He and his “dad” (Baiz) preside over Horton the Elephant's trial hearing near the end of the show.
“[I like playing ‘Yertle’ because] he’s a turtle,” Outlaw said. “I really like turtles, especially snapping turtles.”
Outlaw’s favorite book by Seuss is “Oh Say Can You Say?,” a 1979 collection of tongue twisters in the vein of his earlier book, “Fox in Socks” (published in 1965).
Outlaw was last seen in four STEP VA productions over the past few years, including the “Superheroes and Villains” summer camp production and “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown!,” STEP VA’s last licensed musical and their first to be performed at Courtland High School.
Even though Tyler is “kind of” excited about the show, he hopes audiences take something valuable away from it.
“I just want [audiences] to learn about one of Dr. Seuss’s financial successes,” Outlaw said.
Carson Baiz will be playing two roles in the show: “Yertle the Turtle Sr.” and the fifth “Wickersham Brother.” Although Baiz doesn’t have a favorite book by Dr. Seuss, he does like his role as a Wickersham Brother and enjoys the character’s first main song in the show, “Biggest Blame Fool,” which is the third song in the show.
“I feel great about [being in this show],” Baiz said.
Baiz last appeared in “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown!” as a “‘Charlie Brown’ Narrator.” The year before that, he played “Zazu” in Disney’s “The Lion King, KIDS!”
“I hope the audience feels great about seeing this show, and I hope they’ll be proud of us,” Baiz said. “They’re going to be very proud.”
STEPVA’s production of “Seussical Jr.” will be performed at Courtland High School on April 13th and 14th. To find out more and purchase tickets, please visit www.stepva.org
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STEP VA, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides sensory-based theater and arts programs for individuals with disabilities. Its vision is to transform the world by offering each individual the opportunity to flourish in the community.