There are good reasons why Jonathan Studdard is in the title role in Civic Theatre’s production of “The Cat in the Hat” for the fifth time.
“He is fearless and will try anything,” said Anne Beck, who directs the annual performances. “He is playful. His smile and giggle are infectious. He would prefer not to carry the big red box with Thing 1 and Thing 2 in it — but he knows how much fun kids will have with Thing 1 and 2 that he does it for them. He is so wonderful — hard to imagine without him.”
“The Cat in the Hat” is set for public performances at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. March 2 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Student performances begin Feb. 27.
Studdard always enjoys the experience of performing the role.
“It is so thrilling to find new moments to breathe life into the show,” Studdard said. “It doesn’t get old because it’s always the best feeling to hear and see the kids having so much fun. The show is very specific in the way we present it, so there is not much room for deviating away from our model. But there are small moments that we can breathe new things into the show.”
Beck said the show is fun to direct.
“It is organized mischief and chaos,” Beck said. “The actors do so much physically and mentally with thousands of sound cues.”
Noblesville resident Emily Bohannon returns in the role of Sally. Indianapolis resident Karen Woods Hurt plays Thing 2 for the second consecutive year.
“The show is really fun because most of us know each other well, and while it’s the same framework every year, it gives us a chance to truly play off one another within that framework, so it’s always just a little different,” Hurt said. “It’s also so inspiring and exciting to perform for kids. Seeing them get excited about theater, which I love so much, is one of my very favorite things about this show. Getting a new generation excited about seeing stories onstage and having fun with us is so rewarding. The audience response is different every time, and they really let us know when something is working and they’re on the ride with us.”
For more, visit civictheatre.org.
