On Sale to FlexTix – July 3
On Sale to the Public – July 10

Everybody Wants to Be a Cat!

Based on the beloved Disney animated film, and featuring a jazzy, upbeat score, Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS is a non-stop thrill ride of feline fun, complete with unbelievable twists and turns. In the heart of Paris, a kind and eccentric millionairess wills her entire estate to Duchess, her high-society cat, and her three little kittens. Laughs and adventure ensue as the greedy, bumbling butler pulls off the ultimate catnap caper. Now it’s up to the rough-and-tumble alley cat, Thomas O’Malley, and his band of swingin’ jazz cats to save the day.

Modeled after the Junior Theater Festival Experience, our For Kids By Kids Summer Camps are designed to blend our skills-based and performance classes. Not only will students work on a JR. or Kids length production (minus the technical elements) but also receive intensives in acting, singing, and dancing at camp. With only the tools of the actor (imagination, body, voice) our summer camp productions are performed in the great tradition of Shakespeare’s Old Globe, using nothing but a bare stage, simple lighting, and team-work to effectively tell a great story. With only a two-week commitment, this is a great introduction for families interested in trying theater training for the first time, and also excellent continued practice for the experienced young actor, and those who are considering auditioning for our Performance Team, and competing with us at Junior Theater Festival.

Opens: Saturday, July 29, 2023
Closes: Sunday, July 30, 2023
Location: Marjorie Lyons Playhouse,
on the campus of Centenary College

Music & Lyrics | RICHARD M. SHERMAN & ROBERT B. SHERMAN
AL RINKER & FLOYD HUDDLESTON
Adaptation, Arrangements, and Additional Music | BRYAN LOUISELLE
Book Adaptation & Additional Lyrics | MICHAEL BERNARD
Based on the 1970 Disney film “The Aristocats”

Schedule:
SATURDAY | JULY 29 | 6:00PM
SUNDAY | JULY 30 | 2:00PM

Tickets: On Sale to the Public July 10.
All Tickets: $10.

Camp Director | LIESL CRUZ
Camp Co-Director | LAUREN TREME
Student Choreographer | TBD
Student Director | TBD
Student Music Director |TBD

2024 SUMMER CAMP
Disney’s • TBA (Kids Edition)
ENROLLMENT & TIMELINE

ENROLLMENT (grades K-5) & TIMELINE
Enroll Now for “Early Bird” pricing (open April 10 – 24 | Regular Enrollment will be open June 12-23, or until we reach capacity)
ENROLLMENT INFO |
Who: Any student who will have completed K-5th grade is invited to enroll, regardless of experience level. We encourage you to enroll early, as we are expecting to reach capacity quickly, and a wait-list will be implemented once all spots are filled. All students who are wait-listed will be given the opportunity to audition.
How: Starting Monday, April 10, Enroll HERE any time through Monday, April 24, 2023, or until we reach our maximum capacity, whichever happens first. Once we receive your online enrollment, you will receive an invoice for tuition via email. Upon payment, your enrollment will be considered complete, and you will receive an email confirmation with more details. NOTE: Audition information is only available to enrolled & waitlisted students. You will receive those details in your confirmation email once we receive your tuition payment.
Where: All rehearsals will take place at Stage Center Studios at Grace, 9400 Ellerbe Road, until we move to Marjorie Lyons Playhouse to perform.
Cost: “Early Bird” – $200.00 tuition due no later than April 24, 2023. Payment options & scholarships may be available – Contact us for more information. (One Official Show T-Shirt is included with tuition.
Enrollment: Early Bird April 10th – 24th & Regular June 12th – 23rd
IMPORTANT NOTE ON OUR CORE VALUES: Before enrolling in our summer camp, please consider the following…
**You are agreeing to commit your child to the class’s production and schedule. At Stage Center’s SoPA we believe that a good process begets a good product. Every enrolled student will be required to audition as a part of this process. The audition is for the instructors to assess each student’s skill-level and vocal/physical type so that they can be placed in the role that best serves the production and our educational goals. We do not cast based on seniority within the company, nor do we pre-cast any role on student productions. The cast list will be posted before the start of camp. We are not interested in working with students and families who are only seeking leading or featured roles. All students interested in our camps and classes are taught to show up with open minds and hearts, eager to have a life-enriching experience. We teach that theater is about an ensemble coming together to tell a story, and every person involved has a vital role for its success. No absences are allowed during our two weeks of camp.  NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED TO STUDENTS WHO WITHDRAW AFTER COMPLETING ENROLLMENT.

Saturday, June 24th | Audition workshop for enrolled & wait-listed students: 9:00am-10:00am K-2nd, 10:00am-12:00pm 3rd – 5th
**Enrollment will be capped once we reach our threshold, so sign up early!

WEEK ONE – Stage Center Studios
MON, July 17 – 9:00am-11:00am
TUE, July 18 – 9:00am-11:00am
WED, July 19 – 9:00am-11:00am
THU, July 20 – 9:00am-11:00am
FRI, July 21 – 9:00am-11:00am

WEEK TWO – Marjorie Lyons Playhouse
MON, July 24 – 9:00am-11:00am
TUE, July 25 – 9:00am-11:00am
WED, July 26 – 9:00am-11:00am
THU, July 27 – 9:00am-11:00am
FRI, July 27 – 9:00am-11:00am
SAT, July 28 – 5:00pm Call, 6:00pm GO (Opening/Performance #1
SUN, July 29 – 1:00pm Call, 2:00pm GO (Perf. #2)
+STRIKE/LOAD-OUT (Mandatory for all cast/crew members, and volunteer help is requested. Everyone should plan to stay an extra 30 minutes to clean out spaces/return any props)

 

Meet Your Camp Staff

Liesl Cruz - Camp Director

Liesl Cruz – Director of Education for Stage Center’s SoPA and active performer in the Shreveport/Bossier arts community, Liesl moved to Shreveport 8 years ago and quickly found her way into the very active art scene.

An avid performer and educator she has more than 30 years of experience in the arts, 20 of which has been devoted to the education of children, youth, and adults. In addition to serving as DoE for Stage Center and teaching Levels 1 & 2 of Triple Threat, and Levels 3 & 4 of acting, Liesl also owns her own private voice studio, serves as a staff musician for FUMC, and performs regularly with the Shreveport Opera, Shreveport Little Theatre, the Emmet Hook Center, and of course Stage Center. Most recently you will have seen her in Shreveport Opera’s Date Night as a variety of eccentric characters or Emmet Hook Center’s The Sound of Music as none other than Maria Von Trapp.

She holds a MS in Early Childhood Education with a focus in Music & the Visual Arts from Indiana University, a BM in vocal performance from Illinois Wesleyan University, is certified in all three levels of Somatic Voicework™ , and continues her education by attending workshops and seminars in all topics related to the theater arts as she is able.

Nothing brings Liesl more joy than watching her students gain confidence as they work to develop their Triple Threat skills and fall in love with the art of Story Telling.

Lauren Treme - Co-Director

Lauren Treme – actor, educator, and lifelong lover of the arts! Lauren is originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, and has more than 25 years of experience in the arts.

Lauren’s passion for acting began when she was just 5 years old, and she has since become an accomplished performer with experience in both stage and film acting.

In addition to acting, Lauren has also worked as a high school Theater Director and Speech teacher, helping students find their voice on stage. Before her debut as a teacher, Lauren worked as a News Anchor for an NBC affiliate in Louisiana.

She currently works as a local high school teacher and acts whenever she gets the chance. She is raising three amazing kids with her husband, Jeremy.

Lauren is honored to be able to work with the incredible educators at Stage Center! She is excited to share her knowledge and experience with the next generation of performers and help them develop their skills and confidence on stage.

“‘I Like to Move It Move It’ is the absolute highlight of the show, totally bringing the house down! This is truly a treat for all ages…” – London Review

“One of Dreamworks’ funniest cartoons has been taken and magic’ed up an all-singing, all-dancing, musical delight.” – Sardines Magazine

“The kids loved it from the start and couldn’t stop talking about it as we left.” – Box Office Bloggers

ARISTOCATS CAST

Thomas O’malley
Thomas O’Malley is the charming and charismatic lead alley cat. He lives as a free spirit with no attachments but secretly desires to be part of a family. This role requires a strong actor, singer, and mover. He should also be comfortable flirting with the actress playing Duchess. When auditioning, mix and match your O’Malley and Duchess hopefuls into different pairs and look for the best chemistry. The success of the show largely hinges on the energy of this leading cat so cast your strongest performer in this role. Gender: male Vocal range top: D5 Vocal range bottom: A3

Duchess
Duchess is the elegant and nurturing mother of the Aristokittens. This leading role requires small group singing, but no solos, so cast your strongest actor and mover, rather than singer. Look for a mature actress who is able to convey a maternal figure. Try to audition Duchess hopefuls with O’Malleys and Aristokittens to see who works best together. Gender: female Vocal range top: Db5 Vocal range bottom: C4

Edgar
Edgar is the villainous butler of Madame. He’s allergic to the pampered Aristocats and secretly hates tending to them. This leading part requires one of your strongest and most mature performers with excellent acting and singing skills. Cast an actor who can portray a believable sneeze, possesses excellent comedic timing, and is unafraid to be mean. Gender: male Vocal range top: Eb5 Vocal range bottom: A3

Toulouse
Toulouse and Berlioz are Duchess’s sons. Since these Aristokittens are in the majority of the scenes but require little solo singing, cast two of your stronger actors who can sing well. Toulouse yearns to be seen as tougher than he is and has a small singing solo, so cast accordingly. If possible, the Aristokittens should be physically smaller than Duchess. Gender: any Vocal range top: C5 Vocal range bottom: D4

Berlioz
Toulouse and Berlioz are Duchess’s sons. Since these Aristokittens are in the majority of the scenes but require little solo singing, cast two of your stronger actors who can sing well. Berlioz a slightly smaller part than Toulouse and requires no solo singing. If possible, the Aristokittens should be physically smaller than Duchess. Gender: any Vocal range top: C5 Vocal range bottom: D4

Marie
Marie is the spirited and sassy daugher of Duchess. She is the youngest child and a charmer just like her mother. Since she’s in the majority of the show and has a small singing solo, cast a stronger actor rather than singer. When auditioning, mix and match Aristokitten hopefuls into different trios to see who works best together. Gender: female Vocal range top: B4 Vocal range bottom: F#4

Roquefort
Roquefort is the naïve yet ultimately brave house mouse who overcomes his fears and saves the Aristokittens from Edgar. This role requires a strong singer and character actor who can believably play innocent and frightened. If possible, cast someone physically smaller than the Alley Cats to in order emphasize his vulnerability when confronting them. Roquefort can be played by either a girl or a boy. Gender: any Vocal range top: D6 Vocal range bottom: B3

Madame
Madame is the eccentric and kind human owner of the Aristocats who loves her pets more than anything else in the world. This small character role requires a good actor who possesses the maturity to play a maternal role. She should also be capable of delivering a short singing solo. Since Madame only appears at the beginning and end of the show, consider double casting her as an Alley Cat for the country section of the show.
Gender: female Vocal range top: A4 Vocal range bottom: C4

General Napoleon
General Napoleon and Private Lafayette are two country dogs in a comedic power struggle throughout the show. Napoleon is the power-hungry leader and Lafayette the not-so-subservient private. These roles do not require solo singing, so cast based on acting and the ability to move like a dog. Since this comic duo feeds off of each other, cast actors who can work well together. If you have a small cast, consider double casting them as Alley Cats in the opening number and for “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat.” Napoleon and Lafayette can be played by either girls or boys. Gender: any Vocal range top: C#5 Vocal range bottom: C4

Private Lafayette
General Napoleon and Private Lafayette are two country dogs in a comedic power struggle throughout the show. Napoleon is the power-hungry leader and Lafayette the not-so-subservient private. These roles do not require solo singing, so cast based on acting and the ability to move like a dog. Since this comic duo feeds off of each other, cast actors who can work well together. If you have a small cast, consider double casting them as Alley Cats in the opening number and for “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat.” Napoleon and Lafayette can be played by either girls or boys. Gender: any Vocal range top: C#5 Vocal range bottom: C4

Vichy
Vichy and Soisse are two privates in the dog army who report to General Napoleon. These are smaller acting roles that require good movers and solid singing voices appropriate for small group singing. If you have a small cast, consider double casting them as Alley Cats in the opening number and for “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat.” Gender: any Vocal range top: C#5 Vocal range bottom: C4

Soisse
Vichy and Soisse are two privates in the dog army who report to General Napoleon. These are smaller acting roles that require good movers and solid singing voices appropriate for small group singing. If you have a small cast, consider double casting them as Alley Cats in the opening number and for “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat.” Gender: any Vocal range top: C#5 Vocal range bottom: C4

Amelia
Amelia and Abigail are the two bold geese sisters who rescue O’Malley from the river and lead the way out of the country back to Paris. These comedic characters sing a duet (but no solos), so cast solid singers and actors. It’s also important for Amelia and Abby to be able to move convincingly as geese. If you have a small cast, consider double casting them as Alley Cats in the opening number and for “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat”. Gender: female Vocal range top: C#5 Vocal range bottom: C#4

Abigail
Amelia and Abigail are the two bold geese sisters who rescue O’Malley from the river and lead the way out of the country back to Paris. These comedic characters sing a duet (but no solos), so cast solid singers and actors. It’s also important for Amelia and Abby to be able to move convincingly as geese. If you have a small cast, consider double casting them as Alley Cats in the opening number and for “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat”. Gender: female Vocal range top: C#5 Vocal range bottom: C#4

Scat Cat
Scat Cat is the jazzy leader of the Alley Cat narrators. He or she is ultra hip and enjoys introducing the Aristocats to jazz music. Scat Cat leads the song “Ev’rybody Want to Be a Cat” so cast a strong singer and smooth mover. When auditioning, look for a child that’s willing to go over-the-top on both movement and acting improvisations. The more creative and able to perform outside the box, the better. Scat Cat can be played by either a girl or a boy. Gender: any Vocal range top: C#5 Vocal range bottom: A3

The Alley Cats (Hep, Mad, Slick And Wacky)
The Alley Cats (Hep, Mad, Slick and Wacky), although small acting parts, are the glue that holds Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS together. These storytellers set up and comment on the action as well as execute the scene changes. These roles require actors with strong speaking voices who can focus onstage for long periods of time. They should also have good memories for the more complicated blocking of scene changes and transitions. Casting extra Alley Cats is a great way to use additional children you may have. Depending upon ability, they can take part in all or only some of the production numbers which call for the Alley Cats. Use some strong singers in these roles to help fill out the sound of the chorus.

SUPPORTED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE SHREVEPORT REGIONAL ARTS COUNCIL WITH FUNDS FROM THE CITY OF SHREVEPORT

©2018 STAGE CENTER  |  WEB DESIGN BY SAVAGE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS