It is nearly impossible to imagine a world without Dr. Seuss’s characters. They have been woven into the fabric of popular culture for over three quarters of a century. However, there was a time when they only existed in the far reaches of one man’s mind. With simply a pencil, paper, and his trusted drawing table, these never-before-seen characters passed from the ethereal to the tangible in a series of frenetic, bold, and highly impulsive concept drawings. These were dress rehearsals. They were the first spark of an idea and marked the inception of such iconic characters as The Cat in the Hat, Horton, and Sam-I-am. The concept drawings included in this historic exhibition offer a rare, behind-the-scenes view into Theodor Seuss Geisel’s (aka Dr. Seuss) artistic process. They exemplify the transformative power of ideas and how, in one quick stroke of a pencil, ideas can change the world.