Photos: Salt Lake Acting Company's NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED: THE ROCK EXPERIENCE

Salt Lake Acting Company will stage NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED: THE ROCK EXPERIENCE, the musical by Mo Willems with music by Deborah Wicks La Puma, directed and choreographed by Penelope Caywood. Check out photos of the production.

The production will return to the Upstairs Theatre as part of SLAC’s annual theatre-for-young-audiences programming. Tickets are available through the company’s website.

The musical follows Wilbur, a naked mole rat who discovers an unexpected enthusiasm for clothing, unsettling the norms of his community in The Tunnel. As Wilbur’s curiosity grows into self-expression, he challenges those around him to reconsider long-held assumptions. The story is presented as a rock-inflected theatre experience that explores individuality and acceptance.

“This rockin’ story about authenticity and accepting others strikes a chord for young and old alike,” said composer Deborah Wicks La Puma in a statement shared by the company. She also remarked on social media that “SLAC takes TYA seriously, and has had wonderful, high-quality productions of two of my Mo Willems musicals. I’m sure Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed will be terrific too.”

Each 65-minute performance will include a post-show Q&A with the cast. Audiences may browse Mo Willems titles on-site through a partnership with The King’s English Bookshop and are invited to contribute new or gently used pajamas and diapers to benefit The Children’s Service Society of Utah. Artwork by students of The Visual Art Institute will be exhibited in SLAC’s Green Room Gallery as part of the theatre’s continued collaborations with local arts organizations.

SLAC notes that the production continues a longstanding holiday tradition in which multigenerational audiences return annually for the company’s youth programming. The company reports that many families who attended early productions now return with children of their own.

TICKETING

Performances will run in SLAC’s Upstairs Theatre. Tickets are available at SaltLakeActingCompany.org or through the box office at (801) 363-7522 during business hours. Pricing begins at $17 for children and $27 for adults, with additional discounts and group reservations outlined on the company’s website. An audio-described and sensory-friendly performance will be offered during the run.