Youngest Kids Rock Out to First Stage’s ‘Pete the Cat’

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Photo courtesy First Stage

First Stage's ‘Pete the Cat’

First Stage's ‘Pete the Cat’

First Stage opens its fall season with a dynamic, rockin’ production of Pete the Cat, based on the popular book series by Kimberly and James Dean. This is a great “first theater experience” for younger audiences (ages 3-12), as it features a small cast, a brief run-time (50 minutes) and nonstop entertainment. Pete the Cat opened last weekend and continues through November 3 at the Todd Wehr Theater at the Marcus Performing Arts Center.

For the uninitiated, Pete the Cat has become a current favorite with the kindergarten set, as evidenced by the number of plush animals that accompanied kids to one of the performances on opening weekend. The performance viewed by this reviewer featured the Groovy cast, one of two casts that make Pete the Cat a fast-paced, high-energy musical. 

Starring in all performances is the talented Ethan Smith as Pete, a music-loving cat who likes nothing more than to “jam” with his own band. He’s a cool, guitar-playing dude (okay, a male cat) who considers himself to be more of a free-spirited “road” cat than a “house” cat. But when the cat catcher hears his band making a racket in the neighborhood, he learns that being a house cat isn’t so bad after all.

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Photo courtesy First Stage

First Stage's ‘Pete the Cat’

First Stage's ‘Pete the Cat’

The small cast of characters includes a mom (Tori Watson) and dad (Todd Denning), who subsequently play all of the adult roles (teacher, cat catcher, etc.). The youngest audience members probably won’t be able to detect the role-swapping, as Watson and Denning make a considerable effort to differentiate each of their characters. (This is not difficult when Denning turns up later playing a shark.)

Two other young cast members form part of Pete’s band: Cole Sison (as a toad) and Elliot Lippman (as a platypus). Other roles are covered by Julius Newman and Jule Jordan Schloemer.

This show excels at being a positive theater experience for young audiences. There is nothing uncomfortable or scary here, and the only special effect is a series of soap bubbles that shoot out over the stage.

Pete Makes a Great First Impression

Pete is one heck of a cat. He impresses his new family, the Biddles, with his singing and guitar-playing skills. Young Olive (Jillian Vogedes) and her second-grade brother, Jimmy (Juan Ramon Andrade Escobedo) grow to love the newest member of their family. Jimmy, a neat nick, initially has some trouble accepting Pete’s messy habits. But Olive is all-in from the beginning. She loves Pete so much that she plans to marry him. However, it turns out that she’s allergic to cat hair and must decide whether living with Pete is worth the shots she must take to lessen her symptoms.

In the script (by Sarah Hammond) and music (by Will Aronson), the show covers many life lessons. How do you feel when a new member of the family (a pet or baby) arrives? How do you cope when your teacher suddenly changes the lesson plan? How will your parents react when the teacher phones to let them know you’ve “cheated” on an art assignment? Such anxiety-ridden situations are handled gently and successfully by the loving, well-meaning adult characters.

Perhaps the show’s best lesson is when Jimmy attempts to re-do his art assignment. Pete helps him realize that it’s unnecessary to create “the best painting ever.” All he’s supposed to do is paint something that he thinks is beautiful. For inspiration, Pete encourages Jimmy to hop aboard a 1960s-era bus to discover new worlds, whether they exist under the sea or on the moon. (Yes, Pete also knows how to drive.)

All of these scenes reflect the artistry of director/choreographer Bree Beelow, assisted by music director Paula Tillen and set designer Martin McClendon. Also impressive are costumes by Lyndsey Kuhlmann, Jason Fassl’s lighting and Josh Schmidt’s sound. 

Perhaps the best review one could imagine was overheard during the matinee’s exit. One boy, who somehow knew that another performance was scheduled for later that afternoon, said, “can we come back later and see it again?” 

“Pete the Cat” runs through November 3 in the Todd Wehr Theater at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, 929 N. Water Street in Milwaukee. The show runs 50 minutes without an intermission. For tickets, visit firststage.org, or call the box office at 414-273-7206.