Seussical the Musical has got more rhymes than Horton's got gray hair -- and that's a lot, because he's got his share.

The show, which will be performed 2 p.m. Sunday at Eisenhower Auditorium, weaves several of Dr. Seuss' classic tales into a two and a half-hour dose of the doctor's innovative imagination.

After a short run on Broadway in 2001 that received mixed reviews, Seussical arrives in State College a more honed production, with fewer songs and a tighter plot line.

"Broadway tried to incorporate too many stories," Marcia Sofley, who plays Mrs. Mayor, said. "They had flying and other effects. Our story has its own tricks, but focuses more on the story, getting back to basics."

Christy Crowley (junior-political science) saw Seussical off-Broadway in New York City.

"If I had time I'd go and see it again," she said. "It's different from other musicals like Miss Saigon because it's a lot lighter and it's funny. Also, it's something you can bring your family to. They can visit you and see Penn State."

Along with protagonist JoJo, played by 10-year-old Gene Biscontini, the audience is invited into the Jungle of Nool and the town of Who-ville. With flowing, colorful backdrops behind, many morals come to the forefront.

"Horton has a line, 'A person's a person, no matter how small,'" Sofley said. "This is the lesson my character learns."

Life lessons aside, the works of Theodor Geisel (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss) are all about the f-word: fun.

"It's fun and it's got hot guys in leotards," Crowley said. "There were gymnastics like you would see in the Olympics."

Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's Grammy-nominated score does its own acrobatics, flipping between songs from a range of genres, spanning pop, gospel, blues and R&B.

The cast of characters, including Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz and others, performs more than 25 songs. Together, they serve up plenty of Seuss' rhyming repartee.

And, yes, all this theatrical flavor wouldn't be complete without a heaping helping of green eggs and ham.

Seussical is the final installment of this season's "Forever Young" series, Laura Sullivan, Center for the Performing Arts spokeswoman, said.

"'Forever Young' brings a full scale Broadway production that is price sensitive and geared for a family audience," Sullivan said.

However, the appropriate age for attending the show "is anywhere from 4 to 104," Sullivan said.

"It's very exciting," she said. "This is the Seuss centennial. Geisel's birthday is on March 2nd and we're having it on February 29th."

To celebrate, there will be a limited attendance "Dr. Seuss Birthday Party," beginning at 1 p.m.

"We are planning to have football players read to the kids, which will be a great way to combine arts and sports," Sullivan said.

After the play there will also be more festivities, with a "meet and greet," where cast members will be available to sign autographs.