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Dr. Seuss Goes to the Opera

Name: Dr. Seuss Goes to the Opera
Start: 2026-08-29T13:30:00-05:00
End: 2026-08-29T14:30:00-05:00
Location: Ravinia Festival

An introduction to opera with interactive performances of Green Eggs and Ham and Gertrude McFuzz by JAM Orchestra

Kids Concerts Series

Tickets

Date
Aug 29, 2026
Venue
Martin Theatre
Event Starts
1:30 PM
Public Gates
12:30 PM
Ticket Prices
$20
All tickets show the “all-in” price, fees included. Availability and prices are subject to change.
Doors Open
The park will be cleared following this event and guests must exit the gates.

About the Performance

Ravinia is grateful for the support of

Augustus Gaylord Donnelley

Sponsor

Would you? Could you? In a car? Bring the family, Ravinia’s not far! JAM Orchestra offers audiences of all ages a joyful introduction to opera, featuring professional opera singers in an interactive performance of the complete Green Eggs and Ham and Gertrude McFuzz Dr. Seuss stories paired with playful music to enchant all ages.

An orchestra experience unlike any other in Chicago, the JAM Orchestra was founded in 2018 by Justin Kono, Aaron Kaplan, and Michael Goldman. Guided by their diverse musical tastes and passion for introducing audiences to new music, the JAM Orchestra puts a new spin on the “pops orchestra” model. With original orchestrations, performances of lesser known works, and innovative connections between all genres of music, the JAM Orchestra is creating something wholly unique that exists across the musical spectrum.

The musicians of the JAM Orchestra are some of the finest musicians in the Chicago area and can be heard in orchestras, chamber ensembles, big bands, pit orchestras, and jazz clubs all over the city. Whether performing a Copland ballet, Nelson Riddle chart, Robert Russell Bennett orchestration, or Bernard Herrmann score, the JAM Orchestra reimagines every program with energy and fearless creativity.

Performers

Green Eggs & Ham
Soprano: Desirée Hassler
Sam: Colleen Leonard

Gertrude McFuzz
Soprano: Desirée Hassler
Gertrude: Colleen Leonard

Emcee: Chase Grabowski
Ensemble: Morgan Michelle Barber, Lisa Buhelos, Abraham Deitz-Green, Grace Hall, and Peter Ruger

Understudies: Alicia Berneche (Soprano), Lisa Buhelos (Gertrude/Sam)

JAM Orchestra
Aaron Kaplan, conductor

Lizzy O’Brien, flute
David Cook, clarinet
Kaitlin Pucci, clarinet
Andrew Marlin, bassoon
Emma Sepmeier, French horn
Michael Leavens, trumpet
Debbie Katz-Knowles, percussion
Leo Finan, bass
Kevin Zhou, piano

Production Team

Lark Creative Group: Whitney Langas, Bianca Rose, Holly Weis
JAM Orchestra: Aaron Kaplan, artistic director & conductor
Stage Director: Scott Weinstein
Assistant Director: Danny Kapinos
Rehearsal Accompanist: Kevin Zhou
Costume Designer: Martha Shuford
Props Designer: Kelli Lawrence, SKL Props
Select props incorporate original Dr. Seuss illustrations,
reproduced with permission of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P.
Sound Designer & Technical Consultant: Michael Patrick, Concert Sound Systems
Lighting Designer: Rich Winship
Production Assistants: Naomi Hershman, SarahAnn Sutter, Carol Lee Wax
Photographer: Ana Miyares

Program

1:30 PM – Martin Theatre

Dr. Seuss Goes to the Opera

Produced by Lark Creative Group and JAM Orchestra

Featuring
Green Eggs & Ham (1993)
Gertrude McFuzz (1995)

Music by Robert Kapilow
Text by Dr. Seuss

Additional Material Written by Scott Weinstein

Conductor: Aaron Kaplan
Stage Director: Scott Weinstein

TM & © 2026 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. All rights reserved. Green Eggs and Ham and Gertrude McFuzz, music by Robert Kapilow, texts by Dr. Seuss, presented under license from G. Schirmer, Inc. / Associated Music Publishers, copyright owners.