Come near or come far, come as you are! Polk State presents Seussical the Musical

Polk State College returns to full-scale musical theatre this week with Seussical the Musical, the first production of its kind since the completion of the Winter Haven Fine Arts Theatre renovations in 2025. Students, employees, and members of the community are invited to attend the family-friendly show, which brings Dr. Seuss characters and songs to life.

Performances run November 13 through 15, and November 19 through 22, at the Polk State Winter Haven Fine Arts Theatre, 999 Ave. H N.E. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays.

Admission is free for all K-12 and college students, and Polk State faculty and staff with their College IDs. Tickets are $10 for the public.

Student performers describe a production rooted in community, personal growth, and the show’s core messages of authenticity and possibility. It will entertain audiences of every age while offering deeper takeaways.

“Everybody should come see Seussical the Musical because it’s the story about your brain,” said Dawson Satterfield, who plays The Cat in the Hat. “This show specifically talks about how you think – how great your brain can be and how destructive it can be. It tells you that no matter how positive or how negative a thought is, it’s literally just that – it’s a thought and it’s only as powerful as you make it. That’s a really beautiful message.”

From a glimmer to a glow, watch our students grow

“It’s fun the whole time…, and there are quite a few morals in the show,” said Natalee Duncan, who plays a Bird Girl. “A good take-away is that a person is a person, no matter how small. This show gives every character and every person a time to shine or a place to be just who they are, unapologetically.”

The Polk State Theatre Program gives every student time to shine, too.

Duncan, who has performed in Seussical the Musical at both Jewett School of the Arts and Lakeland Community Theatre, shared that returning to the production for a third time has provided an opportunity to reflect on her growth personally and professionally.

“Polk State has really helped me to understand the abilities that I have and where they can take me,” said Duncan, who is a recipient of a Polk State Music scholarship and plans to pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Music Education. “The most meaningful part of my Polk State journey has been the opportunities to participate in Choir, Jazz Band, and now Seussical the Musical. Our community performances make me feel human, seen, and appreciated, and they help me further my skills and music abilities.”

For Associate in Arts student Allie Farrington, being cast as Gertrude McFuzz has allowed her to step into a role she once dreamed of. She served as the spotlight operator for Theatre Winter Haven’s production of Seussical Jr. in 2022.

“It was the first show I ever got to work on, and I got to watch the show over and over again,” Farrington said. “It made me fall in love with all the songs and the characters, especially Gertrude, so I was very excited to get to revisit that story.”

“The fact that I’m not completely confident brings something real to Gertrude because she in herself is not very confident at the beginning of the show,” she added. “Because this is my first singing role, I don’t really feel like I know what I’m doing and that brings authenticity to Gertrude’s vulnerability.”

Polk State Theatre provides students with performance and skill building opportunities that they can’t find anywhere else, explained Farrington, who has performed in prior Polk State shows including Cyrano de Bergerac, Doubt, and The Good Doctor.

“The Theatre Program has given me an opportunity to learn and grow in my skills in a way that no other theatre would give me,” she said. “They met me where I was at and were willing to work with me throughout the entire process. Instead of casting somebody who was already there, they were willing to cast people who are not completely stage ready and then teach them along the way.”

Satterfield, an Associate in Arts student who graduated from Harrison School for the Arts, explained her unexpected excitement when she was offered the role of The Cat in the Hat.

“I was thinking, ‘I’m only 18,’ and so much goes into making this role,” she said. “When I got the call, I thought, ‘I’m really that girl.’”

She aspires to transfer to a university to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Musical Theatre.

“I want to get to a place where I feel so comfortable in my skills and my voice that I can go to university and not feel less than when I go out into bigger spaces,” Satterfield shared. “The Theatre Program here as helped me – forced me – to grow into a more elevated and confident me.”

Cast members credit Theatre Director Mark Hartfield and Professor of Music Virginia Zechiel for supporting their ambitions and preparing them for a successful production.

Tamaria Thompson, an Associate in Arts student playing Sour Kangaroo, says she has grown as a performer at Polk State.

“Mr. Hartfield has helped me evolve as an actress and think more about the decisions that I make when I’m on stage,” she said. “I think more about how I perform, how I project my voice, and how everyone sees my character. I feel like I have improved a lot in everything I have been doing recently.”

A cast, a crew, a place for you!

The most meaningful part of all, the cast members agreed, is the community and friendships developed through Polk State Theatre.

Kaitlyn Holloway, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management student who plays Mrs. Mayor, credits the program with helping her become more connected with her peers as an online student.

“It has helped me grow into a person because it’s brought out my very social side,” she said. “The most meaningful experience at Polk has been the social aspect… and having those little social butterfly moments with the cast of this show, because everyone’s been so friendly.”

Farrington added that everyone operates as equals.

“No one sees themselves as more talented than you or farther along in their paths than you,” Farrington said. “Everyone is at the same level, and they are all humble and kind.”

And they contribute to each other’s success.

“The most meaningful part of my experience at Polk State is the people that I have met – the teachers and professors who have improved my character, and my peers and classmates who have brought different characteristics and perspectives,” Thompson said. “They have all made me not only a better performer, but a better person.”

Satterfield says the experience has shown her the power of connections and relationships.

“I didn’t expect to find a family so fast here,” she said. “There’s not one thing I can think of that you can’t do here because everyone is so kind and so willing to help you get to the next level.”

Audiences are invited to Seussical the Musical and students are encouraged to register for Polk State Theatre classes for the Spring 2027 Semester. Open registration starts November 9, and opening night of the musical is November 13.

“I hope audiences leave this musical and feel like it’s still alright to dream,” said Thompson, who aspires to perform on Broadway and the big screen. “If you want to be something in the future, it’s never too late to still be what you want to be.”