Oregon Children's Theatre presents PETE THE CAT: THE MUSICAL

When cool, smooth Pete the Cat moves in with the perfectly normal Biddle family, he rocks their world with his electric strumming and strutting. Everybody loves Pete, except for Jimmy, the world's most organized 2nd grader. But when Jimmy draws a blank in art class, Pete takes him on the inspirational road trip of a lifetime! The whole family will love Pete's hilarious, jazzy antics in this toe-tapping musical.

Based on the best-selling Pete the Cat book series by Eric Litwin and Kimberly and James Dean, Pete the Cat: The Musical began its U.S. tour with Theatreworks USA in fall of 2016 and will hit the OCT stage starting in January. During its run in New York at The Lucille Lortel Theater, The New York Times called it "...a high-energy, irrepressibly cheerful whirl." The show's catchy music is by award-winning composer, Will Aronson. "[The music] makes me laugh while being so groovy," said Director Jessica Wallenfels. "It's a really smart score that makes you want to act silly."

Pete the Cat books are regularly featured on The New York Times Children's Picture Book bestseller list and are loved by young readers around the world. "I think kids respond to Pete's relaxed attitude to life, as well as his effortless cool," said Wallenfels. Thanks to Pete's groovy personality and ability to always see the bright side of things, the Pete the Cat book series has sold millions of copies worldwide.

The show will also feature a live band performing the musical score for each show. "Live music is so much more exciting and immediate than a recording," said Wallenfels. "You can really feel the story unfolding right now, and kids will get to see how a big ensemble of musicians and actors work together every second of the show."

The cast features Dave Cole as Pete the Cat, Jackson Wells as Jimmy, Aida Valentine as Olive, Rob Lauta as Dad, and Megan Misslin as Mom. The live band features Rob Fishel (Band Leader/Piano), Alexandra Geffel (Drums), Fletcher Nemeth (Bass), Eric Vanderwall (Guitar), and Andrew Bray (Piano).

The creative team includes: Jessica Wallenfels (Director), Eric Nordin (Musical Director), Sean O'Skea (Scenic Designer), Jennifer Lin (Lighting Designer), Brynne Oster-Bainnson (Costume Designer), Megan Smith (Choreographer), John Berendzen (Sound Designer), and Ann Moore (Props Master).

NOTABLE PERFORMANCE EVENTS

Before Every Performance: Come a little early for a pre-show activity!

Following Every Performance: Meet the cast, take photos, and get your playbill autographed!

Sunday, January 21st and February 18th: Grandparent Day. Join us for special senior (age 62+) ticket prices on the first and last Sunday of each show. Tickets are 25% off.

Saturday, January 27th, 2:00 pm: Interpreted performance in American Sign Language.

Saturday, January 27th, all shows: Scout Day. Tickets for Girl and Boy Scouts are discounted 25%. Fun patches are available for sale for $2 each (order in advance).

About Oregon Children's Theatre

Founded in 1988, Oregon Children's Theatre (OCT) has served well over two million children, teachers, and families. Its mission is to create exceptional theater experiences that transform lives. OCT is Oregon's largest nonprofit professional performing arts company for young audiences and a resident company of Portland'5 Centers for the Arts. Performances are held weekdays for school audiences and on weekends for family audiences. OCT serves more than 120,000 children of all ages each year. OCT offers numerous school services including study guides, teacher professional development opportunities, in-school workshops, and an extensive outreach program. In partnership with Kaiser Permanente, the Educational Theatre Program provides free touring productions that promote healthy living. OCT's year round Acting Academy offers theater classes for children ages 3-18 and Young Professionals Company, a mentoring program for teens.

Funding for Oregon Children's Theatre's 2017-2018 season is provided in part by the Shubert Foundation, the Regional Arts & Culture Council, and Work for Art. Oregon Children's Theatre receives support from the Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency funded by the State of Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Book and Lyrics by Sarah Hammond. Music by Will Aronson. Based on the popular book series by Kimberly and James Dean. PETE THE CAT was originally commissioned and produced by TheatreworksUSA of New York City.

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