Going to a Show Milwaukee Youth Arts Center AT T H E

Going to a Show Milwaukee Youth Arts Center AT T H E

I am going to see a First Stage show at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center. I am going to see the show with 2

Watching a play is like watching TV or a movie, except people are on stage in front of us. They are called actors. They can see and hear me too. I can t turn the channel or turn the volume up and down. 3

A play is made up of many interesting things. COSTUMES SCENERY SOUND LIGHTING 4

When we drive to the arts center, we will park in the parking lot or on the street. We may need to wait in line to pick up our tickets. When we are waiting, I can stay with my family or teachers. 5

Once we have our tickets, we will go down the long blue hallway into a large and colorful commons area. There are bathrooms in the commons area. If I need to, I can use the bathroom before we go to our seats. 6

Someone will show us where to sit. 1. I can sit on the floor if my parents or teachers say it s OK. 2. I can sit on the risers with my family or class. The audience area is for all of us. The stage is for the actors only. 7

When I am in the theater waiting for the show to start: 1. I can talk to my family or friends. 2. I can take a short break in the lobby. 8

There will be a lot of people in theater and it may get noisy. If it gets too loud: 1. I can bring headphones if I want. 2. I can put my hands over my ears. 3. I can leave the room and take a short break in the lobby. I can come back when I am ready. 9

During the show: 1. I can watch and listen to the actors quietly. 2. I can applaud if I like something. 3. I can hold things in my hand that make me feel comfortable. If I need to talk: 1. I can talk quietly to my family or teacher. 2. I can write down what I want to say. 3. I can leave the room. 10

After the show there will be a talkback. The talkback is a chance for me to ask questions. 1. I will raise my hand to show that I want to ask a question. 2. I will wait for the leader to call on me to ask my question. 3. I don t have to ask a question if I don t want. I can ask different kinds of questions: 1. I can ask questions about the show. 2. I can ask questions about the scenery, costumes, lights, or sound. 11

After the show is finished, I will leave the theater with my family or class. 12

Meet the characters in 13

This is the Cat The Cat likes to use his imagination. 14

This is the Fish The Fish wants everyone to stay out of trouble. 15

This is the Boy and Sally. They are siblings. They are uncertain about all of the Cat s imaginative tricks and games. 16

This is Thing 1 and Thing 2. The Things have great fun! 17

These are the Kittens The Kittens help the cat! 18

This is the Stage Manager. She uses computers to make the sounds and lights happen. 19

The Cat has lots of amazing tricks! He and the kittens bring a lot of exciting props into the house. 20

What happens in the play? Moments that are surprising or loud are underlined and bolded. You may want to cover your ears or use earmuffs. A narrator s voice is heard overhead throughout the whole play, though we never see her. She helps tell the story. The sound of rain is heard as two young children, Boy and Sally, enter the house. They are home alone. They sit down. They are slumped over on the couch, feeling sad because of the rain. They don t know what to do with this dreary day. They wish they had something to do other than sit. Boy and Sally agree that they do not like this rainy day, not one little bit. They are so bored for so long, that they end up falling asleep. Their pet, the Fish, appears above the wall. He is sleeping too. We hear him snoring. Fish begins to have a dream that he can swim outside of his fishbowl. He explores the feeling of freedom, swimming through mid-air. Fish hears a whale sound in the distance and he responds in a silly way. He barks, he moos, he blows his trunk like an elephant, and he makes a whale sound! Fish s dream comes to an end, and a kitten appears, holding a bowl. Fish lands back in his bowl and there is a big splash! The splash wakes up Boy and Sally. The narrator says And then, and we hear a whistle of something falling. Both Kittens appear and open up the walls of the house! Something went bump! Bump! A door opens and Sally is taken away by a kitten! How that made us jump! Bump! A door opens and Boy is taken away by a kitten! Both Children reappear in new outfits. The Children and the Fish have their eyes on the door, where the sound is coming from. The door begins to open and shut as we get little glimpses at the visitor. We see a hand, and then a tail. The visitor opens the door again and throws a welcome mat on the floor. Then he comes into the house. It s the Cat in the Hat! He says meow and asks the Children why they are just sitting. He tells them that the lack of sun doesn t stop fun! He exclaims he has games to play, tricks! The two helper Kittens assist the Cat with all of his actions. The Cat begins his first trick. A Kitten throws a tennis racket to him. He plays tennis with an imaginary ball. He then begins to bounce the imaginary ball. He gets more and more excited, and the imaginary ball grows in size. He bounces it and we hear things shaking in the house. The Cat kicks the ball. We hear glass shatter! The Cat pretends that the tennis racket is a banjo, and then a classical guitar. But then, he breaks the strings. 21

The Kittens throw an umbrella to the Cat. The Fish pretends the umbrella is a flute, and he plays it. Next, the Cat gets ahold of Boy s motorbike and rides it in the house! He revs the engine. He then takes it for a ride outside. The Children, the Fish, and the Kittens look out the window. They are nervous! We hear honking, and then a crash! The characters inside react Ahhhhh! Boy is sad that the Cat crashed his bike. The Cat comes back into the house holding one of the wheels. Fish warns the children to send Cat in the Hat away! He says No! No! Make that Cat go away! Tell that Cat in the Hat you do NOT want to play. He should not be here. He should not be about. He should not be here when your mother is out! The Cat in the Hat reassures everyone his tricks aren t bad and begins playing a game called Up-Up-Up with a Fish! He balances the fishbowl on top of the umbrella. He bounces the fishbowl from hand to foot. Fish cries out Put me down! This is no fun at all! Put me down! I do not wish to fall! But the Cat has another idea. He wants to balance the Fish while standing on top of a ball! Two little balls are thrown to the Cat. The Cat squeezes them and they make a sound! Little squeak, little squeak! This excites the Cat. Little squeak, little squeak! Then a big ball appears. Little squeak, little squeak, big honk! Little squeak, little squeak, big honk! He thinks this is so funny and he continues the fun of playing with the balls. Fun music plays. Eventually, the Cat makes his way to standing on top of the ball. He holds the Fish. He wants to add on to his trick, so he asks for a book. The Kittens hand him a book and he reads part of it. The Cat says Have no fear! I will not let you fall!, and he decides to hold a cup as well. A Kitten gets a teacup, the Cat takes a drink from it, and then the Cat balances it on top of his hat. This act continues. Cat asks for and receives a cake on top of his hat, more books, a toy ship, and some milk on a dish! Cat says he can even hop up and down on the ball while balancing all of these things. He hops and we hear the big honk sound twice. But he s not done there! He now balances the Fish on a rake, and holds a red fan with his tail! He hops on the ball again and we hear the big honk sound twice. He thinks that he can do more but then, all the things fall! Everything falls down in slow motion. Fish falls into a teapot, screaming Noooo! He spits out a teabag and yells at the Cat in the Hat: Do I like this? Oh, no! I do not. This is not a good game. I do not like it, not one little bit. You should not be here when our Mother is not. You get out of this house! The Cat in the Hat refuses to leave because he likes being in the house. The Cat goes in and out of the house, trying to think of another fun thing to do that will make it so he can stay. He runs back into the house. Finally, he has an idea! 22

He exits and, then, fast as a fox, the Cat in the Hat came back with a box. It is a big red wood box. It is heavy! The Cat tries to get it into the house. They wedge it into the door frame. Now look at this trick, take a look! says the Cat, I call this game Fun in a Box. The Cat tells the Children that there are two Things inside the box. We hear the Things inside the box. He tells them that the Things will not bite them, and they want to have fun! He opens the hook on the box and out crawl Thing 2 and Thing 1. Fun music plays as they make their grand entrance. They say hello and shake hands with the Children. Again, Fish warns the Children, No! No! Those Things should not be in this house! Make them go! They should not be here when your Mother is not! Put them out! Put them out! The Cat in the Hat reassures the Children that his friends are tame. But Thing 1 & Thing 2 immediately begin to make mischief. Fish is so frustrated that he screams and speaks dolphin. He falls in midair and lands back in his teapot. The Things get some kites. The Cat says that this is a game that they like, and the Fish yells again. The Things start to knock things down and mess things up. Fun music plays as they scurry through the house and dance with the kites. We hear things getting messed up in the hallway. Boy shows his displeasure and is worried about Mother. Just then Fish looks toward the window and announces, Look! Look! Your Mother is on her way home... He is having a very hard time breathing because he is so upset! You will have to get rid of Thing 1 & Thing 2. The Things run away. Thinking fast, Boy gets his big net to try to catch Thing 1 & Thing 2. A little game of hide and seek is played as Boy searches for the Things. Finally, he catches them. He demands that the Cat packs up these two Things and takes them away. The Cat in the Hat is disappointed the Children did not like his game. The Cat cries, and then the Things cry. He puts Thing 1 & Thing 2 back into the box and fastens it with the hook. He then sadly leaves the house, which is a big mess from all the games and tricks. The Children look at the mess, and Fish cries out with worry. Suddenly, there is a sound at the door. The Cat returns riding on a cleaning up machine! He assists everyone in cleaning up the mess. Everything is put back in its place, including the Fish. With his job done, the Cat in the Hat bids Sally and Boy goodbye. The Children and Fish prepare for Mother to come home. We never see her, but we hear her voice ask Did you have any fun? Tell me. What did you do? All of the characters appear again and they ask What would YOU do if your Mother asked you? 23

The End. 24