Last weekend, as we were recovering from our Thanksgiving feasts, we were invited to see TheaterWorks USA’s colorful and enthusiastic production of Pete The Cat at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center. TheaterWorks USA has been producing theater for young audiences around country for more than half a century, and I was excited to see one of their popular shows and introduce my son to the world of children’s theater.
Based on the Pete the Cat series of books by Kimberly and James Dean, the recommended age was Pre-K and up, and my four year-old was thoroughly entertained by the lively songs and antics of the fun-loving cat and his friends…he only squirmed and talked through half the show! And given how action-packed it was, how could we expect him to stay still? I was impressed that the nearly full audience of young children remained mostly quiet throughout the show.
Even the parents found it hard at times to follow the fast-paced story about Pete the Cat opening minds and inspiring creativity in one “square” family, but it didn’t really matter. My son just loved the upbeat songs and the colorful set and of course the irrepressibly cheerful character of Pete. As soon as the show ended, my son shouted “That was so cool!” in a way that would have made the groovy cat proud.
The over-the-top production did a great job of appealing to the child’s innate sense of joy and wonder (and love for fun), and I found myself humming catchy songs like “It’s a VW Bus” in the playground long after we left the theater.
It was a great way to entertain the kids on a weekend morning in Tribeca, and we’ll definitely be back for future TheaterWorksUSA productions including the upcoming Dragons Love Tacos and Other Stories on December 15th and The Magic School Bus on March 23rd.
Tickets are $30 (General Admission) and they can be purchased by visiting Tribecapac.org or by calling (212) 220-1460.
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Margel Nusbaumer is a local writer and mom in Brooklyn. Thoughts? Reach out to margel@achildgrows.com.