Dallas Children's Theater to Host MOON MOUSE: A SPACE ODYSSEY in Spring 2026

Dallas Children's Theater has announced upcoming return of Lightwire Theater this spring for Moon Mouse: A Space Odyssey. This limited-time special engagement runs March 27 - 29 at DCT.

Marvin the mouse wants to be popular. Constantly bullied and picked on by the "cool" rats, he is labeled as a loser and a geek. To get away from the continuous badgering, he retreats into his science books and a world of fantasy. He longs to have adventures, to be the hero.

Audiences will join Marvin on the space adventure of a lifetime; including a trip to the surface of the moon on his homemade rocket, where he meets a strange cast of misfit creatures, and learns of infinite peril and awesome beauty. Will Marvin make his dreams come true and bring him the glory and acceptance he craves?

Lightwire Theater is a unique entertainment experience that utilizes light, technology, and music to tell captivating stories. Their shows are designed to bring audiences of all ages into a fantastical world of imagination. In 2007, they created their first show Dino-Light, under Corbian Arts. Then, in January 2012, Lightwire Theater was founded and premiered The Ugly Duckling and has since produced six shows.

"When Lightwire Theater was here at DCT last year performing Dino-Light, they raised the house lights and spoke directly to more than 350 DISD students, inviting them into the performance itself. They reminded us that live theatre is a conversation-that the audience's presence and reaction shape what happens onstage in ways that simply can't be reproduced on a screen. It was as thrilling for me as their performance," said Emily Ernst, DCT Artistic Director.

Based in New Orleans, Lightwire Theater has been featured as a semi-finalist on NBC's America's Got Talent and winner of Tru TV's Fake Off. The group combines theater and technology to bring stories to life in complete darkness and is internationally recognized for its signature brand of electroluminescent artistry.

The process of building Lightwire Theater's electroluminescent characters starts with the creators and cast. They build everything from the ground up, utilizing recyclable materials including aluminum rods, election signs, skate board wheels, dryer ducting, plumbing supplies, PVC pipes, fishing poles, duct tape, zip ties and back packs to help define peaks and angles.

These common household items help create durable and pliable sculptures that can withstand the movement of the dancers for multiple performances. Black fabric is added to the sculpture for dimension and then lined with electroluminescent wire known as "el wire". Unlike blacklights, "el wire" can be powered by batteries, requires no theatrical lighting and gives a 360-degree of glowing light. The result: anything your inner-child can dream of, including: 16-ft. tall birds, dinosaurs, ducks, soldiers, swords and more.

Each character takes nearly 200 hours to create, and each character can use up to 16 AA batteries per performance.

"It was an honor and thrill for DCT to present such a prestigious and creative company last season with Dino-Light. Their unique style of performance is the perfect complement to the DCT season. We know our audiences will be amazed to experience them again this season with Moon Mouse!" said Artie Olaisen, DCT Associate Artistic Director.