BWW Preview: 33rd Season Announced for CATCO and CATCO is Kids

By: Mar. 21, 2017
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From musical numbers to American Sign Language, CATCO's 2017-18 season will bring alternative modes of storytelling to the stage.

The Columbus-based theater company announced its complete 33rd season via press release on Monday.

CATCO previously shared that it will begin the season on Sept. 13 with Fun Home, a musical based on a graphic novel by Alison Bechdel that explores themes of family, youth, sexuality and honesty.

Other shows scheduled to be performed in Ohio's capital city next season include David Mamet's American Buffalo, performed in American Sign Language, and John Caird's musical, Daddy Long Legs, which tells the story of a young satirical writer who receives a generous scholarship from an anonymous benefactor.

The season is also set to include The Realistic Joneses, a play about suburban life and neighborhood relations, Willy Russell's comedy, Educating Rita, and Aspects of Love, an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.

CATCO is Kids is set to begin its season with a Shakespearean tale set in a galaxy far, far away. Shakespeare and Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope will feature students enrolled in CATCO is Kids' summer camp and will be performed Aug. 25 - 27 at the Lincoln Theatre.

Favorite childhood characters from come alive in the holiday production of Madeline's Christmas, a stage adaptation of Ludwig Bemelmans' book. The theme of lyricizing literature continues with Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical, which draws inspiration from a Caldecott Honor-winning series by Mo Willems.

The season concludes with Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude, which follows the adventures of creator Jim Davis' corpulent cat as he sets out on his own after suffering a birthday snub, and The Throne of Oz, an adaptation of Frank Baum's stories by Columbus playwright Chris Leyva, which will make its world premiere on May 4.

Recently, Leyva celebrated a world premiere of another play, which CATCO associate producing director Joe Bishara said was well-received by audiences of all ages.

"We are excited to have the opportunity this coming season to work again with Chris, whose world premiere of Cowgirls Don't Ride Zebras this season was wildly successful with children and families," Bishara said in the press release.

Subscription renewals for the 2017-18 season are set to be mailed in April, the release stated. New subscriptions will be available in the summer, but interested patrons can place their name on a waiting list by emailing JoLane Campbell at jcampbell@capa.com.

More information about CATCO and CATCO is Kids can be found on the company's website.


The 2017-18 season for CATCO is as follows:

Fun Home

Sept. 13 - Oct. 1, 2017

Vern Riffe Center Studio Two Theatre

American Buffalo

Nov. 30 - Dec. 9, 2017

Vern Riffe Center Studio One Theatre

Daddy Long Legs

Jan. 31 - Feb. 18, 2018

Vern Riffe Center Studio Two Theatre

The Realistic Joneses

March 7 - 25, 2018

Vern Riffe Center Studio One Theatre

Educating Rita

April 11 - 29, 2018

Vern Riffe Center Studio One Theatre

Aspects of Love

May 30 - June 17, 2018

Vern Riffe Center Studio One Theatre


The 2017-18 season for CATCO is Kids is as follows:

Shakespeare and Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope

Aug. 25 - 27, 2017

Lincoln Theatre

Madeline's Christmas

Dec. 8 - 17, 2017

Shedd Theatre, CPAC

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical

Jan. 12 - 21, 2018

Van Fleet Theatre, CPAC

Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude

March 2 - 11, 2018

Van Fleet Theatre, CPAC

The Throne of Oz

May 4 - 13, 2018

Shedd Theatre, CPAC



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