Wireless Mics and Projection for Seussical JR.
Show guide · JR. · 17 roles plus an expandable ensemble · Reviewed by Stage Gear staff, October 2026
Short answer: plan on 12 channels. 10 body mics for the eight principals, Yertle and the Grinch, plus 2 spares. Cover the Bird Girls, Wickershams and Whos with 3–4 area mics at the stage edge.
Stage Gear supplies wireless mics, rentals and projection to school and community theatres across the U.S. Our staff work in theatre; this guide is how we'd mic Seussical JR.
Who gets a mic
We counted the roles that sing solos or carry dialogue over music: the Cat in the Hat, Jojo, Horton, Gertrude, Mayzie, the Sour Kangaroo, Mr. Mayor and Mrs. Mayor, plus Judge Yertle the Turtle and the Grinch, who each have a short featured moment. That is 10 body mics plus 2 spares, for 12 channels.
Borderline: Yertle and the Grinch. If your blocking shows those two never share the stage, they can share one pack with a quick handoff backstage, which saves a channel. The Bird Girls and Wickersham Brothers sing as trios; area mics usually cover them, or hand a spare to the strongest voice in each group. Vlad Vladikoff does not sing and needs no channel.
Bigger budget: give packs to all three Bird Girls, all three Wickershams and the Young Kangaroo, for about 19 channels. Coordinate frequencies with us before you go past 16.
Mic plot
| Ch | Role | Mic | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel 1 | The Cat in the Hat | Headset, beige | Hat comes on and off; physical comedy needs a firm hold. |
| Channel 2 | Jojo | Hairline (3 mm), brown | Young lead; small mic under the hair or cap. |
| Channel 3 | Horton the Elephant | Hairline (3 mm), beige | Under the ear cap; carries much of the show. |
| Channel 4 | Gertrude McFuzz | Hairline (3 mm), brown | Under the feathered headpiece; featured solos. |
| Channel 5 | Mayzie La Bird | Hairline (3 mm), brown | Under the showgirl headpiece, clear of the feathers. |
| Channel 6 | Sour Kangaroo | Hairline (3 mm), brown | Big belting voice; set her gain lower than others. |
| Channel 7 | Mr. Mayor | Hairline (3 mm), brown | Under the Who wig; leads Whoville scenes with Mrs. Mayor. |
| Channel 8 | Mrs. Mayor | Hairline (3 mm), brown | Under the Who wig; sings with Mr. Mayor and Jojo. |
| Channel 9 | Judge Yertle the Turtle | Hairline (3 mm), brown | Runs the trial scene; under the judge's wig or cap. |
| Channel 10 | The Grinch | Earset, beige | Brief solo; green makeup or mask leaves no hairline spot. |
| Channel 11 | Spare | Hairline (3 mm), beige | For a Bird Girl or Wickersham solo line. |
| Channel 12 | Spare | Headset, beige | Backup for the Cat or any failed pack. |
Every Bodymic is wired for one transmitter family: Shure, Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, AKG, MiPro or Creative Audio. Build your Bodymics to match the packs you own. Cast Pack: every 4 Bodymics of the same style and capsule size earn a 5th free. This plot is a starting point; change any row to suit your cast.
The ensemble
The Whos, Jungle Citizens, Bird Girls and Wickershams sing in nearly every number. Cover them with 3–4 area or choir mics along the stage edge and bring big group sections of "Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!" downstage. Young voices are soft, so keep the chorus forward. When a featured ensemble member has a solo line, hand them a spare body mic for that scene.
Show notes from our team
- Keeping the Cat miked. The Cat moves constantly and handles the hat and props. A headset holds through physical comedy. If the Cat enters through the audience, walk the house at tech to check for dropouts and feedback.
- Trios and small voices. The Bird Girls and Wickershams sing as trios. Stage them downstage near the area mics, and coach young singers to project rather than pushing the area mics, which picks up the whole stage.
- Horton on the egg. Horton spends a long stretch sitting on the egg, often on a raised platform. Check antenna line of sight and keep the pack where sitting will not crush the cable connector.
- Nearly all singing. With music under most scenes, several mics are open at once. Build a simple cue sheet so student operators turn each principal on just before their line and off when they exit.
Projection
The Jungle of Nool, Whoville, the clover field and the circus all suit projected scenery, and projection keeps a JR. show's quick location changes simple. Most school auditoriums need 7,000–10,000 lumens with the right lens; smaller black boxes need less.
Our sister company Broadway Media makes Scenic Projections for Seussical JR. Not sure which projector? Read Stage Projectors for Digital Scenery.
Rent it for the run, or own it
| What you get | Next step | |
|---|---|---|
| Rent for the show | A 12-channel wireless rental, Monday to Monday around tech week. Tested before it ships, return labels in every case. | See rental systems |
| Own it | Creative Audio Show-Ready, 16 channels: receivers, bodypacks and antennas racked, programmed and tested. $ 11,190.38. | See the system |
| Mics for the packs you have | Bodymics for the whole cast: hairline from $79, earsets and headsets from $99. | Build your Bodymics |
Buying for a school? U.S. public schools can pay by purchase order. How school ordering works.
Common questions
- How many wireless mics does Seussical JR. need?
- Plan on 12 channels: 10 body mics for the Cat, Jojo, Horton, Gertrude, Mayzie, the Sour Kangaroo, Mr. and Mrs. Mayor, Yertle and the Grinch, plus 2 spares. Area mics cover the trios and the chorus.
- Do the Bird Girls and Wickershams need their own mics in Seussical JR.?
- Not always. Three or four area mics at the stage edge usually cover the trios if they are staged downstage. With more budget, give each trio member a body mic so their harmonies sit clearly over the music.
- How do we mic the Cat in the Hat in Seussical JR.?
- Use a headset. The Cat takes the hat on and off and does a lot of physical comedy, so a hairline under the hat can slip. A headset stays put and keeps the Cat's narration clear.
- Can we rent mics just for our show week?
- Yes. Stage Gear rentals run Monday to Monday around tech week, so you have mics for rehearsals and every performance. Systems arrive tested with return labels, and school purchase orders are welcome.
Doing Seussical JR. this year?
Get mic tips for your show and a reminder before rental season books up.
Stage Gear is not a show licensor. Seussical JR. is licensed through Music Theatre International (MTI); production rights come from them. Stage Gear sells and rents the equipment. See you on stage!
