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Pete the Cat

Pete the Cat

Book & Lyrics by Sarah Hammond
Music by Will Aronson
Based on the Pete the Cat series of books by Kimberly and James Dean

December 6-30, 2019

Details

Play Dates Dec 6-30, 2020
Show Type Children's Play
Other Notes PETE THE CAT was originally commissioned, developed, and produced in New York City by TheaterWorksUSA

Accessibility Considerations

Description

When Pete the Cat gets caught jamming after bedtime, the cat-catcher sends him to live with the Biddle family to learn his manners. There he meets young Jimmy Biddle, the most organized second grader on planet Earth. Together, they set out on a mission to help Jimmy conquer second grade art, and along the way, they both learn a little something new about inspiration.

News & Reviews

Creative Team

Penelope Caywood (Director/Choreographer/Music Director) is thrilled to be directing PETE THE CAT this season. Past directing projects at SLAC include PINKALICIOUS, THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, DIARY OF A WORM, A SPIDER, AND A FLY, ART DOG, A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD, CAT IN THE HAT, CLICK CLACK MOO: COWS THAT TYPE, HOW I BECAME A PIRATE, and IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE. Penny’s passion for Theatre for Youth extends beyond her work at SLAC. She has been the Artistic Director of Youth Theatre at the U for the last 13 years and is adjunct faculty in Theatre Education at the University of Utah as well. Youth Theatre provides multiple theatre and music residencies and professional development workshops for classroom teachers about arts integration primarily to schools in the Salt Lake City School District. Penny has also lectured and presented her work at Southern Utah University, Westminster College, Utah State University and BYU. With her internationally recognized and nationally award winning high school Conservatory, she devises and creates new work every year. She loves working with the creative teams and supportive staff at SLAC at this magical time of year.
Gage Williams** (Set Design) previously designed PINKALICIOUS, MERCURY, HAND TO GOD for SLAC. Elsewhere, Resident Set Designer Idaho Shakespeare Festival 1995-2008. Other regional set design credits include design's for Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Cleveland, OH., Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Actors Theatre of Phoenix, Childsplay, Tempe, AZ, Pioneer Theatre Company, and Utah Opera. From 1990-94 he was a staff television art director for Bruce Ryan Production Design in Hollywood, CA. He designed productions for ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, HBO, ESPN, Disney, VH-1, and MTV. CableACE award for Art Direction on the Showtime film Mastergate. His set designs have been exhibited three times at the Prague Quadrennial Design Expo. The 2016 United States Institute for Theatre Technology conference in SLC included a retrospective of his theatre design work. He is a Professor of Theatre in the Department of Theatre at the University of Utah where he served as department chair from 2009-18.
Dennis Hassan (Costume Design) Professor of Scenic Design at Utah State University, Dennis has designed over 180 productions for theatres from Hawaii to Maine. He also designs costumes, properties, corporate events, immersive experiences and puppetry. Favorites include costumes for MacBeth, My Fair Lady, Winter’s Tale, Dido and Aeneas; sets for Fun Home, August Osage County, Light in the Piazza, Sweeney Todd, Tales of Hoffmann; and puppets for Shockheaded Peter, Little Shop of Horrors, Issun Boshi and Beauty and the Beast. He has an MFA in theatre design from The Ohio State University. Dennis is delighted to return to SLAC where he has previously designed sets for Streetlight Woodpecker, Winter, Fun Home, and Silent Dancer.
Jesse Portillo (Light Design) is a freelance lighting designer based in southern California and is excited to work with SLAC for his 11th season. Previous SLAC credits include SATURDAY’S VOYEUR, HARBUR GATE, THE PERSIAN QUARTER, CLIMBING WITH TIGERS and PINKALICIOUS. Recent productions include THE BROTHERS SIZE for Ancram Opera in Ancram, New York, and GUYS AND DOLLS for Arizona Broadway Theatre. He has designed for many companies in Utah including Plan-B Theatre, Pioneer Theater, Repertory Dance Theatre, New Century Dance Project, Samba Fogo, and Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre. He has also designed for PURE Theatre, LOOK Musical Theatre and Mobile Opera and has been a guest artist and lecturer at Baylor University, Idaho State University and Millikin University. He recently relocated to southern California and is an Assistant Professor at Cal Ploy Pomona, and has previously held positions at the College of Charleston and the University of Utah.He is an active member of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology, serves on the steering committee for the Latinx Theatre Commons, and is a proud member of United Scenic Artists Local 829.
Justin Ivie (Props Design/Producing Director) came to SLAC as an actor SATURDAY’S VOYEUR 2004. He’s since appeared in numerous SLAC shows including eleven VOYEURS (between 2004 and 2019), TOO MUCH MEMORY (2010), and STUPID FUCKING BIRD (2016). He’s also Stage Managed for seven SLAC shows and directed 2019’s THE CAKE. Justin has performed professionally for three decades and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity since 1998. He’s appeared in over a hundred productions nationally. Utah audiences have seen him in dozens of shows at Pioneer Theatre Company, Egyptian Theatre Company, Utah Musical Theatre, Lyric Repertory Theatre, and many others. He’s worn just about every hat in the business, working as a designer, manager, technician, builder, writer and director in countless shows. Since 2006, Justin’s been the Managing Director of Walk-Ons, Inc. a Salt Lake company with a mission to bring low-cost theater to under-served audiences. Through their Senior Theatre Project, Walk-Ons has toured to over fifty Utah community centers and retirement facilities with a shifting line-up of original short plays by, for and about seniors. An alumnus of Weber State University in Musical Theater, Justin earned his MFA in Acting at Northern Illinois University and completed an internship at Dublin’s Gaiety School.
Jennie Sant* (AEA Stage Manager) Previous shows at SLAC include FORM OF A GIRL UNKNOWN, SATURDAYS VOUYER 2018 & 2019, THE CAKE, PINKALICIOUS, HIR, SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY, REYKJAVIK (reading), PLAYWRIGHTS LAB 2016 & 2017, HARBUR GATE, BULLSHARK ATTACK, STUPID F***ING BIRD, TWO STORIES, BLACKBERRY WINTER, I’LL EAT YOU LAST: A CHAT WITH SUE MENGERS, VENUS IN FUR, MANNING UP, PERSIAN QUARTER and, ANGELES IN AMERICA I & II. Other credits include, Golden Spike 150, GOLD MOUNTAIN Odyssey dance company THRILLER, The Petite Palace WONDERLAND and PRINCESS WENDY, COPA Theatre, ANNIE, Pioneer Theatre Company, NEXT TO NORMAL, LES MISERABLES, THE PRODUCERS, PAINT YOUR WAGON, DOUBT, A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM, THE FOREIGNER and VERTICAL HOUR. She has also worked for Salt Lake Shakespeare and Utah Contemporary Theatre.
Sydney Stephan (UPTP Assistant Director) is a current junior in the Musical Theatre Program at the U. This is her first time assistant directing and she is ecstatic to be involved in PETE THE CAT. She was recently seen in the U's production of CHESS (singer), CPT's production of HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (statue), and Ogden Musical Theatre's production of ANNIE GET YOUR GUN (dancer). Sydney is so thankful to her family, friends and to Penny for giving her this opportunity.
Jess Wallace (UPTP Assistant Costume Designer) is a graduate student at Utah State University and has worked in theatre as a designer, director and actor. Most recently she directed THE 39 STEPS, costume designed PRIDE & PREJUDICE THE MUSICAL and served on the board of directors for West SideTheatre Company. In addition to her service with WSTC, she worked as a costume technician and assistant designer at the Hale Center Theatre in Sandy. She is excited to be a part of SLAC’s production of PETE THE CAT, having enjoyed their work as a company for many years.

Press Release

PETE THE CAT Press Release (PDF)

Photo Gallery

Click to enlarge image 1.jpeg

Trayven Call, Jacob Weitlauf, and Shelby Andersen in PETE THE CAT. Photo by dav.d daniels/ dav.d photography

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://saltlakeactingcompany.com/beyond-the-stage/new-play-development/script-submissions/item/1471-pete-the-cat#sigProId75af098dc5

Playbill

Pete the Cat Playbill

Title I Arts Education Program

Since 2009, SLAC has dedicated its holiday season to bringing professional theatre to Utah families and schoolchildren, particularly to K-2nd grade Title I students—historically the most under-served demographic in Utah in terms of access to arts education through field trip opportunities. Each year, SLAC hosts several thousand local children during exclusive student matinees.

In its 11th year, SLAC’s Title I Arts Education Program served over 2,000 children from 16 Title I schools (where 85% of students come from low-income homes) in Salt Lake City and Granite School Districts. These students and their teachers were able to see PETE THE CAT free of charge, offering many of them their first ever theatrical experience.

“For most of the children it was their first exposure to live theatre. They were given the opportunity to see their favorite book characters come to life. They were able to learn about how a play is made, how much work is put into making a play, the different community helpers who help with the play and be entertained by very talented performers. Now, they want to read and write all about Pete the Cat. Their comprehension has dramatically improved and many of their side conversations are centered around Pete the Cat and their experience at the play.” -Dona Schlappi|1st grade, Jackling Elementary

 

Thanks to the generosity of the following local businesses and foundations, 2,108 Title I students attended PETE THE CAT. We are deeply grateful for their support!

BW Bastian Foundation
Henry W. & Leslie M. Eskuche Foundation
Richard K. and Shirley S. Hemingway Foundation
Mark Miller Subaru
Rocky Mountain Power Foundation
Salt Lake City Arts Council
Utah Division of Arts and Museums
US Bank Foundation
Salt Lake County Zoo Arts and Parks Program

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