The Southwestern College Summer Theatre Festival will present “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” along with four companion pieces on Friday, July 10, at 2 and 7 p.m., and again on Saturday, July 11, at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 7 p.m., in the Helen Graham Little Theatre located on the lower level of the Christy Administration Building at Southwestern College.

The four companion pieces will include “If You Give a Cat a Cupcake,” If You Give a Dog a Donut,” If You Give a Moose a Muffin,” and “If You Give a Pig a Pancake.”  All of the pieces are adaptations of the award-winning books written by Laura Numeroff.  “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” is adapted for the stage by Jody Davidson. The rest of them are adapted by Ariel Grinnell.  The plays are based on the books that are known for their playful circular patterns of adventure.

The participants in the show are youth who are in the two day camps currently going on at Southwestern College—Story Theatre camp and Youth Theatre camp.  According to Allyson Moon, 27 individuals are participating in the camps.

“The campers in the Story Theatre camp will be acting in the plays. Because the plays are adaptations of stories in narrative form with characters in action, they are a perfect fit for the story theatre group,” Moon says.  “The individuals in the Youth Theatre camp are a little bit older and they will have the choice to act and to be part of the technical team.  We have some individuals who really want to do both and some who want to focus on just the technical challenges. The curriculum for the Youth Theatre camp is designed for them to be exposed to costumes, lights, sets, props, and makeup along with acting.”

Moon feels that this production will be wonderful entertainment for families with young children.

“Even though there are five plays, the performance will run for about an hour,” Moon says.  “This is fantastic entertainment for younger audiences.  Audience members will delight in the adventures of a mouse, cat, dog, moose, and pig, as the actors bring these children’s classics to life.”  

Moon will be directing the plays along with the festival interns.  Interns include Phoebe Muldrow, Juliette Lowrance, Justin Godwin, and Brandi Young.  Young will also be the production stage manager. 

Moon says there has to be a balance in leading these young actors.

“There has to be a healthy combination of seriousness and fun,” Moon says.  “The level of creative energy in both the Story Theatre and the Youth Theatre classes is amazing.  It is a super nova of creative thinking and action.  Our job is to channel and develop it in directions that mean they can create the characters, they can create the environment, and they can tell the stories.”

Admission for the plays will be $5 for adults and $2 for youth 11 and under.  Because there is limited seating in the Helen Graham Little Theatre, reservations are encouraged to assure everyone will have a seat.  To make reservations, call the SC box office at (620) 221-7720 or (620) 229-6171.