The Department of Theatre and Dance will present the beloved family classic “Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat” Sept. 27-28 in the Katharine Cornell Theatre in the Ellicott Complex, North Campus.

Performances for the student-produced show will take place at 6 p.m. Sept. 27 and at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sept. 28.

The production is being directed by music theatre major Jill Anderson.

“Our 30-minute show is filled with fun, adventure and, of course, a lot of mischief,” says Anderson. “Dr. Seuss created timeless stories for all ages, making ‘The Cat in the Hat’ a fun night out for the whole family.”

Audiences will be treated to fun, visual gags, like flying fish, balancing acts and the outlandish machine that cleans up the mess once the fun is done. 

Crafts, coloring pages and other Dr. Seuss books will be available for children and families 30 minutes prior to curtain. After the performance, there will be a meet and greet and photo opportunities with the cast.

What can audiences expect from Anderson’s theatrical version of the story?

“I want the audience to see these iconic character jump right off the page and land center stage,” she says. “You will see all of your favorites, like the rambunctious Thing One and Thing Two, the frazzled Fish, and of course the mysterious Cat in the Hat himself. Our production follows the storybook word for word in full Dr. Seuss rhyme.”

Theodor Geisel, writing as Dr. Seuss, created “The Cat in the Hat” partly in response to a 1954 Life magazine article by John Hersey that was critical of the stilted, didactic primer books children were forced to read in school, like “Dick and Jane.” Book publisher William Spaulding of Houghton Mifflin reportedly challenged Geisel to “Write me a story that first-graders can’t put down!”

Tickets for “Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat” are $10 for adults and $5 for students, children and seniors. They are available at the door one hour before the show.