Post-Gazette North is previewing high school musicals in the northern suburbs the week they open.

The final week of this year's high school musical season in the northern suburbs offers humor from a famous children's author, a classic in the realm of musicals and a fairy tale with some twists.

"Seussical," which opens tomorrow at North Catholic High School, was written by the team of Lynn Ahrens and Dormont native Stephen Flaherty, who also penned "Ragtime" and "Once on This Island."

But it wasn't just the hometown connection that made the show attractive to musical director Beth Young.

"It has so many parts," said Ms. Young, who has taught at North Catholic 28 years. "I thought it was a great opportunity to show off our talent, especially among the younger students."

"Seussical," based on the beloved children's books of Dr. Seuss, centers on Horton the Elephant and his efforts to save both the speck of dust that is Whoville and the egg left with him by Mayzie LaBird. Most of the show takes place in the imagination of Jojo, a young boy, and also features the Cat in the Hat and the Grinch. It debuted on Broadway in 2000.

Among the student talent showcased in "Seussical" is Matt Harvey as the Cat. Matt has attended Spotlight Performing Arts Academy in the North Hills "for many years," Ms. Young said, adding, "we have a lot of young women who are excellent dancers."

"Seussical" also stars Vince Lamperski as Horton, Ally Scalo as Gertrude, Jess Hartman as Mayzie, Amanda Foote as the Sour Kangaroo and Lexie DeRiggi as Jojo. North Catholic alumna Jaime Myers serves as choreographer.

Ms. Young added that representing the world of Dr. Seuss onstage called for "lots of colors. We're going for a big splash." She said that along with cast parents, some alumni assisted with the set.

Aside from the talent on stage and off, said Ms. Young, the show's meaning makes it special.

"My kids like to say, 'A person's a person, no matter how small,' but I'm an educator," she said. "I love 'Oh, the Thinks You Can Think.' If you can dream it, you can do it."

"Seussical" -- 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Lesniak Hall, North Catholic High School, 1400 Troy Hill Road, Troy Hill. Tickets: $8 and $5 for children younger than 10 for the Sunday matinee performance only. Information: 412-321-4823.

In the past, Northgate musical director Karen Klicker has been hesitant to stage well-known musicals because audiences often have preconceived ideas about them.

But the talent of her senior class this year convinced her that this was the year for the classic "The Music Man."

"I have a huge senior class, a lot of them committed to the musical since seventh or eighth grade," she said. "So I knew it was now or never."

Set in the early 1900s in Iowa, "The Music Man" is about con man Harold Hill's attempts to win over the people of River City by starting a youth marching band. Will his love for librarian Marian Paroo persuade him to go straight and really become the man he's pretending to be?

With a 50-member cast of high school students and an additional 32 elementary pupils, Mrs. Klicker said one of her biggest challenges was to fit all of them on the stage.

She said she had to include as many younger children as possible, and not just because she teaches at Avalon Elementary School.

"They were all so talented, I just couldn't cut anyone," she said.

"Music Man" includes pupils from both Bellevue and Avalon elementary schools, and Mrs. Klicker has double-cast the roles of Winthrop and Amaryllis to have one pair from each school.

Old black-and-white photos of 1912 Iowa inspired her to design a River City in sepia tones, which contrasts with the colorful costumes. She noted that the costume makers, led by costume coordinator Barb Gusew, "should be canonized. They've probably sewn 30 period skirts."

Justin Volkman stars as Harold Hill and Becca Defazio as Marian.

On Saturday and on May 2, Beth Martin plays Mrs. Paroo, Jesron Hall plays Winthrop and Casie Donnelly plays Amaryllis.

On May 3, Lizz Church plays Mrs. Paroo, Aaron Meyer plays Winthrop and Christina Noble plays Amaryllis.

Children especially will enjoy two guests, Mrs. Klicker said. "We've got two real miniature horses we're using in the 'Wells Fargo Wagon' number."

"The Music Man" -- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2 and May 3 at Northgate Middle/High School, 589 Union Ave., Bellevue. Tickets: $8, $5 for students. Call 412-732-3300.

Portersville Christian School's "Cinderella," which opens tonight, is "traditional Rodgers and Hammerstein with a modern twist," said musical director Elaine Wise.

Mrs. Wise and her 53-member cast, which includes seventh- through 12th-graders, have taken some creative license with the show to fit it better to their talents and budget, she said.

"Our Prince is a great actor, but not a singer," she offered as an example, "so we've given those songs to other cast members."

Spencer Everett, who plays the Prince, begins to sing but then others interrupt and take over. James Sloat, Drew Blumer and Jack Osborne perform solos.

Instead of the Fairy Godmother, she said, Tyra Pennington, a character partly based on Ty Pennington, a host of television's "Extreme Makeover" show, "does an extreme makeover to prepare Cinderella for the ball." Tyra Pennington is played by Kat Vouga.

Another change is that the ball scene has been transferred to a disco. "The kids learned the gavotte," a French folk dance, Mrs. Wise said, "but they also picked up some disco steps."

"Cinderella" stars Brooke Miller as Cinderlla, Tim Hoban as the King and Rachel Thokar as the Queen. Ashley Boughner plays the Stepmother, while Norah Hoban and Rachel Puliatti play stepdaughters Portia and Joy.

This is Mrs. Wise's 10th musical at Portersville Christian. Although she will continue to teach there, she said, this show is her last as director.

"It's time to pass the baton on to someone else," she said, adding "I will greatly miss that opening night excitement."

"Cinderella" -- 7 p.m. tonight, tomorrow and Saturday at Portersville Christian School, 343 E. Portersville Road, Portersville. Tickets: $7, $4 for students and seniors. Information: 724-368-8787.

Complete Post-Gazette coverage of high school musicals from every region, including Kelly Critics reviews, is available on the High School Musicals Web page. Access it at www.post-gazette.com/theater/hsmusicals.asp.