; Skip to Content

Review: The Cat in The Hat

There was no doubt in my mind my kids would love seeing the latest show at The Rose. “The Cat in the Hat.” Is there any kid over the age of 3 who hasn’t heard that story? Hadn’t wanted a cat to come to their house and cause all sorts of trouble with two insane little blue-haired thingys?

My family attended opening night – our first opening night show at The Rose. The theater does a great job  generating excitement on opening night. Cool balloon characters were spotted throughout the lobbies.

Fun accessories were on nearby tables so kids – and me – can goof it up in their pictures.

Mooch auditions to be the next Dr. Seuss character.

Mooch auditions to be the next Dr. Seuss character.

There was also a large canvas for kids to write and draw on, answering the question “What do you do on a rainy day?”

If you have the option, go on an opening night at The Rose!

What to expect

It is a 45-minute production of a book that takes about 15 minutes or less to read…so expect a few dance sequences. They’re fun though, particularly the ones involving Thing 1 and Thing 2 (Sue Gillespie Booton and Aaron Ellis). One had my 3-year-old bouncing in her seat, waving her arms around.

Noah Diaz portrays The Cat in The Hat - and he's fantastic.

Noah Diaz portrays The Cat in The Hat – and he’s fantastic.

Noah Diaz plays a marvelous Cat in the Hat. From his balancing act to his cat-like antics, he had my kids hooked the whole time. He was The Cat in the Hat to them. As a side note, great job in make up design, Erin Bragg.

Timing a potty break

Go before the start of the show. There is no intermission.

Is it kid-friendly?

100% kid-friendly. There’s a bit of theater magic in the show to capture their imagination – think: Flying items.

Here's trouble.

Here’s trouble.

And I think the entrance of Thing 1 and Thing 2 – how they magically appear out of a box on stage – just about blew their minds.

Will an adult like this?

It’s not going to have you on the edge of your seat, but it is amusing and Noah Diaz as The Cat in the Hat is exactly how I imagine the cat to come to life. You might raise your eyebrow to House of Pain playing at the entrance of Thing 1 and Thing 2.

What was it about again?

“The Cat in the Hat” brings the beloved Dr. Seuss classic to life: A rainy day becomes a zany day when a boy and his sister receive a chaos-causing caller: The Cat in the Hat!
Like all productions at The Rose, there is a Q&A from the stage after the show ends, and an autograph session with some cast members on the upper level of the theater.
Expect a fairly long line to get autographs and pictures with the cast of this show.

Expect a fairly long line to get autographs and pictures with the cast of this show.

Bring your cameras when your kids meet the cast!

If you want to go

The show runs through Oct. 19 at The Rose, 2001 Farnam St. Shows are Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 5 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Due to audience demand, there’s also a show Sunday, Oct. 12, at 5 p.m. Tickets are $18. Discount vouchers are available at area Hy-Vee Food Stores. For reservations, call (402) 345-4849, go to www.rosetheater.org, or visit the box office. Reservations are required. The performance is about 45 minutes. Best for ages 3 and older.

Disclosure: The Rose provided complimentary tickets for me to review the performance. All opinions are mine own.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

alissa

Wednesday 15th of October 2014

My whole family loved it! We didn't wait in line for an autograph and pictures, but we did go in for questions and answers. Isaak had his hand up the whole time. They didn't call on him, but he still liked the other questions and answers.

Kim

Wednesday 15th of October 2014

I bet he had some thoughtful questions. Glad you all loved it!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.