The Cat in the Hat is one of my kids’ favorite books. And The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is one of our family’s favorite activities. And when you put those two together, it’s pure fun. The Cat in the Hat makes magic and mischief at The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati this summer – and you need to join in on the fun!
The Cat in the Hat opened last weekend at The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s Red Bank Road facility. It’s the theatre troupe’s first summertime show and full-scale production at the Ralph and Patricia Corbett Showtime Stage. Running weekends through July 9th, you have plenty of opportunities to see The Cat in the Hat, and should absolutely put this Children’s Theatre production on your summer list.
What makes The Cat in the Hat a little different from other TCT shows is that kids get lots of chances to interact and play: before, after and during the performance. Before the show, my kids kept busy with a scavenger hunt and coloring pages — and the lobby of the new Children’s Theatre building has some of its most memorable costumes on display. (The dinosaur from the Museum Center is also currently taking up residence at The Children’s Theatre, which is really cool to see up close!)
Clocking in at around 45 minutes, The Cat in the Hat is the perfect length for little theatre-goers, and the time truly flies by. Kids will enjoy following along with the book, which is performed word for word by a narrator and the actors. Fun interludes break up the reading; and the Cat really steals the show with his miming, dancing and playing. Adam Zeph’s Cat is silly and charming, and my kids were spellbound during his scenes. (He really does stand on a ball while holding a cup and the milk and the cake and the books and the fish on a rake — this scene was spectacular and hilarious and did not disappoint.)
During the show, the characters interacted a lot with the audience: the Cat threw a pretend ball that the kids eagerly “threw” back; the Boy asked questions that got lots of little kids shouting out answers; the Things ran and zipped through the theatre aisles. (In fact, Thing 1 and Thing 2 had us all laughing out loud with their antics — even this Mommy, who is definitely #TeamFish.)
The Cat in the Hat is a story that’s meant to be read out loud, and the world Dr. Seuss created really comes to life on the Showtime Stage. This small, intimate theatre is the perfect setting for such an interactive show, and it felt like we were all part of the story and fun. (Major props to the set designers, who have truly brought the book to life. Kevin Frisch of the famous Frisch Marionettes created the Fish, who Rhys Boatwright animates hilariously.)
Post-show, the audience got a chance to ask questions, and all of the actors eagerly and enthusiastically answered each and every one. Then came the photo opps, where the cast met the kids and posed for pictures. My kids got to act out their favorite part of the book when they asked to shake hands with Thing 1 and Thing 2. It was the perfect ending to a fun afternoon, and something I’ll remember forever.
The Cat in the Hat is a delightful performance that parents will enjoy as much as kids. It’s also an important reminder that it’s fun to have fun — and The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati definitely knows how to have fun.
The Cat in the Hat run Fridays-Sundays through July 9th at the Ralph and Patricia Corbett Showtime Stage at 4015 Red Bank Road. Please note the Sensory Friendly performance on July 7th at 7 p.m. Tickets are just $20 and can be purchased here.
Feature image photo credit: Mikki Schaffner