Sammy
Tammy
Mom
Simon
The Whizzit
Mumpus
"The Whizzit"
The Galaxus 5000
Mr. Christmas

UNDERSTUDIES

Sammy
Tammy
Mr. Christmas

CREW

Producer
Exec Producer/Ass't Dir/Stage Mgr
Associate Producer
Associate Producer
Associate Producer
Associate Producer
Costume Designer
Lighting Designer
Set Designer
Prop Mistress
Publicity Photos
Graphic Design
Original Illustration/Concept
Cleanup Illustration
Inking and Painting

REVIEWS

L.A. Weekly (Recommended!)

A kid’s show by way of De Sade, this deliciously dark spoof of Dr. Seuss owes as much to Edward Gorey as it does to the famous, kindly author of One Fish, Two Fish. As Christmas Eve approaches, two adorable tykes, Sammy (Ryan Schwartzman) and Tammy (Christiane Cannon) are ordered by their mom (Samuel Rhymes, in drag) to entertain visiting rich kid Simon Thaddeus Mulberry-Pew (Jason Frazier). The problem is, Mulberry-Pew is as loathsome as he is rich, and the two children accidentally kill him while trying to wrest some toys from his hateful grip. Fortunately, a jolly if sinister magical figure known as the Whizzit (Russ Jones) unexpectedly shows up in a furry cat suit to save the day — even if his assistance threatens to involve chopping up Mulberry-Pew in pieces and melting him with quicklime. Christmas cheer indeed. The show, credited to the eponymous (and pseudo-anonymous) “Dr. Jeuss,” possesses delightful cartoon performances and an affable humor that prevents the grim undercurrents from becoming overpowering. Although the momentum tends to flag during the show’s overlong second act, director John Mitchell stages the goings-on with pitch-perfect comic timing.

-- Paul Birchall
©2005 L.A. Weekly

L.A. Times (Recommended!)

     A certain Seuss echoed in 'Jeuss'

     "A Dr. Jeuss Christmas" arrives just in time
     to trash seasonal kids' fare, completely in rhyme.
     This ruthlessly renegade holiday spoof
     sends up Dr. Seuss as it raises the roof.

     The script is the work of an author unnamed,
     who riffs on Ted Geisel with wit that's untamed.
     On Katherine Morrison's weirdly warped set,
     it's one day to Christmas, but don't relax yet.

     Meet the degenerate Fitzgivens tots,
     who spout twisted verses and think scary thoughts.
     Dear Tammy and Sammy, they couldn't feel drearier
     (and not because Mom has a clown-sized posterior).

     They hate awful Simon T. Mulberry-Pew,
     a rich Fauntleroy whom they're soon to undo.
     For after a plastic-bag game they contrive,
     Simon's the one who grows less alive.

     But the wild, woolly Whizzit, with leering-brogue voice,
     helps out the Fitzgivens (who don't have much choice).
     More surprises await! Some are stinky, some great!
     To give them away would invite Simon's fate!

     Fun's had by director John Mitchell and team,
     with M.E. Dunn's costumes a particular scream.
     The Sammy and Tammy of Ryan Schwartzman and Christiane Cannon
     are both of them expert at deadly deadpannin'.

     Jason Frazier as Simon hits full-throttle camp,
     while Samuel Rhymes' Mom is a John Waters tramp.
     Christopher Carrington's spry Christmas icon
     and Matt Garland's fake beast can take any tyke on.

     C.M. Gonzalez as a robot named Galaxus
     convulses the house right off its axis.
     With mad Mikal Hanna's mute Mumpus in tow,
     Russ Jones as the Whizzit just plain steals the show.

     These wackos hatch outrages "South Park" would covet,
     with hambone aplomb that reveals how they love it.
     The Sacred Fools treatment, a balm for cracked ids,
     offsets Yuletide sugar — but don't bring the kids.

L.A. Times Reader Reviews (RAVES!)

RAVE!  This show is definitely worth checking out! Very enjoyable with a wonderfully comedic cast. The language of the show is all in rhyme with some "colorful" choices. This is not a kid's show, but is great for adults.

-- Anne Wolfe of Los Angeles, CA

RAVE!  A real Christmas treat in the Sacred Fools tradition. Slightly bawdy and TOTALLY hilarious!!! Funny story and great acting all around, especially the lead characters, Sammy and Tammy (Ryan Schwartzman and Christiane Cannon). Don't miss this one -- a great way to spend an evening this holiday season.

-- Scott Merrow of Albuquerque, New Mexico (!)

BackStage West

It is Christmas Eve, and Mr. Christmas (Christopher Carrington) -- think Santa -- is in peril. His nemesis is a rotten little rich kid, Simon Thaddeus Mulberry-Pew (Jason Frazier). Annually, Mulberry-Pew shows up on Mr. C's list in the "naughty" column and is left a bag of dung. The petite, selfish monster already has 2 billion toys in his personal collection but isn't satisfied. Will his newest toy, robot Galaxus 5000 (C.M. Gonzalez), be able to hijack Mr. C, steal all the toys meant for kids around the world, and give them to Mulberry-Pew?

Always on Mr. C's twice-checked gift list, in the "nice" column of course, are the absolutely adorable poor twins Tammy (Christiane Cannon) and Sammy (Ryan Schwartzman) Fitzgivens. Per edict of their ditzy Mom (Samuel Rhymes), the twins try to befriend their schoolmate, Mulberry-Pew, but get mixed up in the devilish robbery plot. Is it possible for Tammy and Sammy and their pals The Whizzit (Russ Jones)-not the Fake Whizzit (Matt Garland), the real one-and Mumpus (Mikal Hanna) to save the day?

This beautifully written, playful, R-rated holiday evening of rhyme is credited to Dr. Jeuss (pronounced "juice"). The writing has the speech patterns and cadences of another author "Dr." whose name rhymes with "juice" and begins with an S. Director John Mitchell's crisp pacing keeps the lilting dialogue solid in the familiar style. Cannon and Schwartzman as the look-alikes are outstanding. As adult actors, they climb into these two little characters with complete abandon, leaving the real world outside and entering the world of kiddydom. They take Christmas, the anticipated toy heist, and impending danger seriously. This makes them all the more funny and lovable. Their counterpart, Frazier, with a huge, squeaky voice, makes a diminutive yet very formidable foe to Christmas and all that's good. Frazier's a hoot. Balance of the cast varies. This is a refreshingly good alternative to Scrooge and/or Nutcrackers.

-- Dave DePino
©2005 BackStage West

Martini Republic

You may note going in that Jeuss is not only a riff on Seuss, but also an anagram of Jesus. And if you do, take it as a forewarning: A Dr. Jeuss Christmas!, now at Sacred Fools Theater on Heliotrope, is quite a scramble of a show. It’s also fabulous, hysterical, beautifully costumed, wildly warped, engagingly irreverent, and—unlike your basic children’s Chrsitmas tales—not for children.

Not children under twelve, anyway. I thought the suggestion a little arbitrary, but when I tried to come up with another, I couldn’t—depending on how you view children cussing a blue streak but in singsong verse, a down-in-the-hood Santa, a Whizzit who’s just as much horndog as hero, a sidekick halfway to the Gimp in Pulp Fiction, age ten might be OK, age forty might not be old enough.

Yes, it’s a parody. An excellent one, which takes Seuss as its wicked point of departure. It keeps the Seussian childhood kingdom intact even while keeping adults in the audience laughing and entertained. If Miranda July took on the Grinch tale, you might get something close to this.

It’s obvious immediately, as the two principles, Christiane Cannon as Tammy and Ryan Schwartzman as Sammy excite, whine, bicker, go wide-eyed with mystery and jump for joy as suddenly and successfully as your own prepubescent bundles of trouble. Ms. Cannon has beautiful comic timing, and Schwartzman a range of honest faces that even a child could envy. The two are such a loveable pair that they could be your own; alone they earn A Dr. Jeuss Christmas! its exclamation point.

Hilarious characters keep arriving in Seussian splendor. The cutie-pair’s nemeses, Simon Thaddeus Mulberry-Pew, a snidely, snarling rich kid, is done to a sinister crisp by Jason Frazier. Their redeemer, the towering, whacky, Whizzit, who fairly lights up the stage even with his foibles, is given some artfully compromised good-guy graces by Russ Jones. Mikal Hanna tags along, no lines but affable loony poses redolent not only of the Gimp but Blutarsky in Animal House. Mom to the kids is Samuel Rhymes in beyond-ample drag.

That’s the other thing that makes the show so much fun: the costumes. Often companies get costumes right, but color is another story—this company not only has spot-on Seuss garb, it’s also color-coded for maximum effect, from Tammy and Sammy’s orange jammies to Mulberry-Pew’s blueboy priss—no spot of imagination was spared by M.E. Dunn in conceiving the costumes in thoughtful complement to one another in finery and fuzz and color.

-- Joseph Mailander
©2005 Martini Republic

Accessibly Live Off-Line

The Sacred Fools Theatre in Hollywood presents for the holiday season, A DR. JEUSS CHRISTMAS, a fantasy tale written by the master storyteller himself, Dr. Jeuss, about the whimsical adventures of Tammy and Sammy Fitzgivens, and the wonderful characters they meet while making their holidays merry and bright--soft of.

Once upon a time, far away from from the Blivens, there lives two young kids, Tammy and Sammy Fitzgivens (Christiane Cannon and Ryan Schwartzman). While Mom (Samuel Rhymes) goes away, while she dose her own do, little Sammy and Tammy, have nothing to do! Before they decide, that they all should react, they encounter a kid, with a slam and a smack. It's little Simon Thaddeus Mulberry-Pew (Jason Frazier), a kid like no other, comes calling alone, but just like a "mother". He's selfish to tops, and is mean like old warts, he owes two billion toys, more than FAO Schwartz. While Simon is bullin', like any old brat, in comes two more folks, with a rat-a-tat-tat! There creatures come calling, with a "what?" and "who is it?". It's none other that Mumpus, and his 'boss', the Whizzit! (Mikal Hanna and Russ Jones). Little Simon's a meanie, like there is no braggin', so Whizzit and company, should fix his ol' wagon! But there's more to this story, and it's all in the timing, that it's told in great verse, and it's all done in rhyming!

Yeah, it's a satire indeed, that is all fun and all funny, and it's wow and all wow, which makes it a honey! It resembles those tales, that we heard as a kid, about bored boys and girls, and the things that they did, that were nothing like normal, with people they met, and it's like a bad dream, but a good one, you bet! John Mitchell directs, this show that is loose, and resembles those tales, by a doctor named Seuss. It's wacky, it's crazy, it's totally nuts, and it's down to the point, not like and old putz!

There's some more in the cast, and we'll name all the names, so one day for sure, they will all get their fames! There's C.M. Gonzalez, as a stodgy robot, and Matt Garland, too, as a fake Whizz-ot. And there's Christopher Carrington, as dear Mr. Christmas. Did we leave someone out? I should fear, but hope not-os!

In short we will state, that this show is a blast, we laughed 'till we cried, and before we look passed, some notion we'll warn, and we speak like old bitties, but whatever you do, DO NOT bring the kiddies! This show's for adults, and as with the right timing, we'll never again, write a review with this rhyming!

Forget the fake prose, and we mean what we say, A DR. JEUSS CHRISTMAS, is your pick for the day!

-- Rich Borowy
©2005 Accessibly Live Off-Line

L.A. Splash

Wedged in a rather obscure area of Los Angeles, The Sacred Fools Theater has gone over and beyond the duty of compensating for local. With revolutionary plays and some of the best talent in the business, they certainly are worth their while.

A Dr. Jeuss Christmas was written by the mysterious nom-de-plume named Dr. Jeuss (pronounced “juice”). An obvious parody of Dr. Seuss, Dr. Jeuss mixed the innocent pleasure of Seuss’ rhyme scheme, with more adult dialogue. Whether belting out an emphatic rhyme to “fit” or referring crassly and comically to heavy petting, the actors continued to exude the feel of Cat in the Hat gone bad. And it was oh, so good!

There were several scene stealers, most notably Russ Jones as The Whizzit. If a large green monstrosity isn’t enough to elicit a laugh or two, audiences will be tickled by his Scottish accent and demeanor. One can scarcely hold back a chuckle when an “arse” appears in dialogue.

The brother and sister, Tammy and Sammy, played by Christiane Cannon and Ryan Schwartzman, respectively, were also delightful to watch. Without a bit of awkwardness and with perfect precision, they played, hugged, flew about the stage, bumped into objects and in general acted like siblings. 

Jason Frazier played the darker side of the play, Simon Thaddeus Mulberry-Pew, the rich snob with a dark heart. With a foul mouth and fouler intentions, he encompassed all that villains must.

There were plenty of other excellent cast members, such as Samuel Rhymes in drag as Mom, Mikal Hanna as the lovable Mumpus, Christopher Carrington as the lewd Santa Claus-like Mr. Christmas, and of course, C.M. Gonzalez, playing a giant robot.

This piece, brought together by the directing styling of John Mitchell, benefited from well versed dialogue, perfectly timed comedy and talented actors, willing to be roughed up for the sake of art.

-- Brandon Monahan
©2005 L.A. Splash

ReviewPlays.com

Dr. Seuss may be for kids but Dr. Jeuss is definitely for adults. Welcome to the world of ‘A Dr. Jeuss Christmas’ where being naughty is an admirable quality. Dr. Jeuss (pronounced Juice) is the perverse tale of twins Sammy and Tammy Fitzgivens and their arch-nemesis billionaire brat Simon Thaddeus Mulberry Pew. After a while, the name sticks like glue. Sorry, couldn’t help myself. The twins are poor but likable siblings with bad fashion taste and nasty looking haircuts. Which is probably not their fault considering their mother resembles a reject from a bad drag queen show with an overly made up face and wearing her high yellow beehive hair do with pride.

Simon likes to remind everybody around him how wealthy his family is and how he gets anything and everything his greedy heart desires. Though the twins look like second rate Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls who probably live in a trailer park, they are sweet and lovable. Simon on the other hand could use a good whacking on both his front and backside - not to mention a good stylist who can convince him that dressing like a court jester isn’t working for him. 

Just like in the classic children’s tale, (ironically the original Dr. Seuss author detested children) the story is told throughout in rhyming couplets. That isn’t easy but it’s amusingly done extremely well. Occasionally, okay all the time, foul words and sexual innuendo are cleverly mixed in. In the story, the twins are forced to play with Simon. He carries around a big lug of expensive toys but refuses to share. Simon, who loves repeating his whole name, torments the twins mercilessly. Sammy and Tammy concoct a plan to get even with the curly haired kewpie doll and make up a game which takes a disastrous turn. They accidentally kill him. 

As the twins weigh their options on how to tell their mother that their psycho school chum isn’t alive, they get a visit from The Whizzit and his silent sidekick Mumpus. The Whizzit, who’s a cross between a bear and Big Foot, is the flip side of a fairy godmother. Instead of trying to get them out of trouble, the furry Scotchman convinces them to add to their trauma. His partner in crime Mumpus doesn’t have to say anything to be heard. The three-toed, four fingered creature looks like the love child of the Pink Panther and Big Bird. His bold and oversized movements speak volumes. Clearly, the twins are the stars of ‘Dr. Jeuss’, but when The Whizzit and Mumpus are around the attention quickly shifts to the anti-heroes. Their comedic routine will have people grab their sides and gasp for air. 

Later, the twins are tricked by a fake Whizzit into saving Christmas but are held hostage by Simon. He traps them in a palatial home where the toys are kept. Once again The Whizzit, the real one, comes to their rescue, minus his pink friend, with Mr. Christmas, a Santa like icon dressed handsomely in white and speaks with a Jamaican accent.

Let’s face it. ‘Dr. Jeuss’ will scare and confuse kids. It’s too sexy, too racy and breaks all the rules of children’s literature of being wholesome and pious. This makes it perfect for adults who possess a wicked sense of humor and a twisted mind, such as this writer. Russ Jones is awesome as Mr. Whizzit. He encourages the kids to slice and dice their enemy with a smile on his face instead of confessing the truth. Whizzit honestly believes he’s helping the twins by furthering their crime and doesn’t understand their hesitation. Pay close attention to the subtle aroma of a ménage a trois among the twins and Mr. Whizzit. Let’s just say he prefers Tammy but Sammy has other plans. Dr. Jeuss is definitely for the naughty but the nice would find it funny too. Even, if they won’t admit it.

-- Mary Montoro
©2005 ReviewPlays.com