Vintage Theatre faithfully reproduces Dr. Seuss’s ‘The Cat in the Hat’

The sun did not shine, it was too wet to play,” but The Cat in the Hat made our day.

On a sunny day in Aurora, the Cat played at Vintage Theatre in their fine theatrical production of Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat. Adapted by Katie Mitchell from the iconic children’s story and directed by Vintage Artistic Director Bernie Cardell, 30 minutes of childhood bliss filled the Jeffrey Nickelson Auditorium.

As expected, the Cat (Conrad Mata) was as naughty as ever. While visiting Sally (Megan Schraeder), her unnamed brother (Reese Blanton), and their Fish (Romy Lopez), the Cat made himself at home while mother was away, much to the displeasure of Fish, “No! No! Make that cat go away! Tell the Cat in the Hat you do not want to play.”

Of course, no one listens to Fish. Along with Cat’s helpers, Thing 1 (Shadiaya Lyons) and Thing 2 (Joe Barnard), they tore the house apart, leaving it in total disarray. Mother would return soon and would not be amused by the mess she would find – she would not be kind. However, there is nothing to fear because, in an unbelievable twist – all’s well that ends well – for Sally, her brother and Fish.

True to the book, The Cat in the Hat comes to life much to the pleasure of the audience — both young and old. Many of the “grown-ups” in the crowd had as much fun as the children, reliving their childhood through the memory of Dr. Seuss and the infamous Cat. As directed by Cardell, no stone is left unturned, with the onstage shenanigans precisely mirroring the action in the book.

Mata is sublimely mischievous as the Cat, winking and nodding to the receptive audience. Lopez is delightful and funny as the weary fish bouncing around from fishbowl to teapot.  The energetic cast matches the tempo of the rhyming book with great ease and silliness.

Anyone from 2 to 92 will enjoy this rhyme-filled production of The Cat in the Hat. It has three more performances before the Cat and company close shop. They can be enjoyed at Vintage Theatre on September 14, The Grange on September 22, and Bennett Trupp Park on September 28.