Dr. Seuss's ZANY CAT Speaks English And Spanish In Bilingual Stage Premiere

Bay Area Children's Theatre (BACT) presents the first-ever bilingual stage version of Dr. Seuss' beloved tale, The Cat in the Hat-El Gato Ensombrerado, Saturday, September 15, through Sunday, November 4, at BACT's Berkeley Theatre Center, 2055 Center Street, Berkeley, CA 94704, with performances on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Directed by Karina Gutiérrez, The Cat in the Hat-El Gato Ensombrerado draws from the original poetry of the world renowned book by Theodor Seuss Geisel (AKA Dr. Seuss) and the Spanish translation by Georgina Lázaro and Teresa Mlawer, to tell the story of a boy, his sister and their fish, who receive unexpected, extremely exuberant visitors on a rainy day with their mother away.

To ensure that Spanish and English speakers alike can follow the action, the production uses physical comedy in a style inspired by the late, great comic actor Cantinflas (often called the Charlie Chaplin of Mexico). The set echoes the familiar look of the book-for example, bold primary colors-and adds elements that evoke Latino culture. For example, a cactus in the window helps situate the story in the Southwest, home to many Spanish-speaking communities.

"The Cat in the Hat is not only well known and beloved throughout the world, it is also a very strong tool for early literacy and early readers. We thought it would be a great opportunity to create a bilingual production that would engage a variety of children-those who haven't been exposed to Spanish, English language learners, children growing up in bilingual households-so that they will see wonderful, vibrant, bilingual actors on stage and can celebrate and relish bilingualism as a value in our culture," said BACT Executive Director Nina Meehan.

To create a welcoming learning experience for all the children in the audience, BACT will offer a pre-show introduction to the key words of the show and a post-show question and answer session with the actors in both Spanish and English. BACT is also tripling the number of student matinee performances it is offering for the run of the show (from two to six per week) to accommodate demands from schools.

The Cat in the Hat-El Gato Ensombrerado is recommended for ages 3 - 10. TICKETS: $17 - $28. BOX OFFICE: www.bactheatre.org or call (510) 296-4433

Established in 2004, Bay Area Children's Theatre, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, serves 125,000 children and adults throughout the Bay Area, with main stage performances in Berkeley, San Francisco and Sunnyvale; programs and productions in local schools; and classes and summer camps in the East Bay, South Bay, and San Francisco.

Our Mission: To inspire young audiences with imaginative productions, introduce children of all backgrounds to the excitement of live theatre, and create an engaging, entertaining, and educational environment in which children and their families can explore and enjoy the arts.