UCM Theatre & Dance to Offer Family Fun with ‘Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat’

The Division of Theatre and Dance at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) invites audiences to spend a rainy afternoon with Sally and Boy in the beloved story “Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat” from Feb. 27 to March 2 in the Highlander Theatre.

“Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat” is a dose of chaos, and let’s not forget about Thing One and Thing Two. Will the children listen to their fish, or will they once again let the Cat in the Hat stay? Children of all ages will marvel at the madness and get caught up in the sheer joy of it all. 

“This show is an absolute joy for audiences of all ages,” said Jenise Cook, director and visiting assistant professor of Theatre. “We’ve had a fantastic time diving into the world of Dr. Seuss, creating a whimsical and imaginative experience that our community will truly love.”

For this production, UCM Theatre and Dance welcomed Guest Scenic Designer Powell Brumm, a Kansas City-based scenic designer and fabricator. Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Brumm received his Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California and an Artist Certificate from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. 

Brumm is the materials coordinator for the Kansas City Repertory Theatre and has been the assistant technical director for Opera in the Ozarks for the past two seasons. He has also worked as a designer with the UMKC Conservatory. In addition to his work backstage, Brumm maintains an active performing schedule in operas and recitals, with performances with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City chorus, Lawrence Opera Theatre, Classical Music Express and other local organizations.  

“It’s been a pleasure to work on ‘The Cat in the Hat’ with the UCM faculty and students,” Brumm said. “The creativity and spirit of the cohort, from the inception of the project to where we are looking at opening night in a few short weeks, has been inspiring. I’m looking forward to bringing such a fun play to the audience and seeing the culmination of all the work on and off stage. Having everything come together under the lights and with an excited audience in the seats is a really incomparable experience.”

Performances will be at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Feb. 27-28, at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 and at 2 p.m. March 1-2 in the Highlander Theatre in the Martin Building. Tickets are free for UCM students, military members, veterans and military families with valid ID at the door. 

The March 2 matinee will be a Pay-What-You-Can performance, and audiences may pay any amount, $1 or more, for a ticket. ASL interpreters will be provided for the 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 performance. 

Tickets are available at the UCM Theatre and Dance Office in Martin 113 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, by calling 660-543-4020 or at ucmboxoffice.universitytickets.com. For more information, call 660-543-4020 or email boxoffice@ucmo.edu.

The cast features Mason Enright as Cat, Madison Keep as Boy, Allie Whitbey as Sally, Elizabeth Molina as Thing 1, Emma Stevens as Thing 2 and Avory Nail as Fish.

The production team includes Director Jenise Cook, Assistant Director Cami Wieberg, Stage Manager Gabe Sokolowski, Assistant Stage Manager Hannah Rodriguez-Nemeth, Lighting and Sound Design by Aleksandra Combs, Scenic Design by Powell Brumm, Technical Direction and Properties/Puppetry Design by Spencer Musser, Costume Design and Costume Shop Supervisor Cassie Kay Hoppas, Assistant Costume Design by Emma Stevens, Assistant Lighting Design by Brody Lafrentz, Sound Board Operator Madeline Clark, Light Board Operator Noah Martin, Publicity/Marketing Director Dr. Aaron Scully, Social Media Marketing Specialist Madison Keep, Scene Shop Graduate Assistant Jack Ezell, Wardrobe Crew Head Kayla Addison, Box Office Manager Lars Jepsen, Assistant Box Office by Jake Collins, Madison Keep and Dmitry Crawford, House Manager Kyp Bellis, Office Professional Lars Jepsen, and Office Student Assistants Jake Collins and Madison Keep. 

Additional team members include Wardrobe Crew: Bela Menton and Lucy Nutt; Run Crew: Finn Juliano; Scene Shop Hires: Sam Fischer, Payton Lawrence, Alyna Mathews, Elizabeth Molina, Avory Nail and Olly Ozias; Lighting Shop Hires: Joe Devero, Brody Lafrentz and Charlie Vitale; and Costume Shop Hires: Molly Blackburn, Josie Hougham, Sage Miller, Avory Nail, Lucy Nutt, Bella Reno, Emma Stevens, Karlee Trout and Raegan Weber.

UCM Theatre and Dance has one more production remaining in the 2024-25 “Perfectly Marvelous” season: “Cabaret,” which will run April 11-13 and 17-19 in the Highlander Theatre. 

The School of Visual and Performing Arts will host the President’s Gala on Tuesday, April 22 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City. The event will showcase students’ work from the school’s three areas of study – Art and Design, Music, and Theatre and Dance – and renowned Kansas City performer Jan Kraybill. For more information, visit ucmo.edu/gala. 

For more information, contact Ashley Miller-Scully, chair of the Division of Theatre and Dance, at almiller@ucmo.edu or find UCM Theatre and Dance on Facebook or Instagram.