Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) will present Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play!, based on Mo Willems’ award-winning and beloved book series beginning September 13. Willems is the prolific author of popular children’s books such as the Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, and Cat the Cat. Willems has also created animated series for Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, and was an animator for Sesame Street for nine years. His books have received many of the highest honors for literature including three Caldecott Honors, two Theodor Seuss Geisel Medals, five Theodor Seuss Geisel Honors, and three Carnegie Medals.

Willems is particularly enthusiastic about the production’s journey to CTC. He states, “Elephant Gerald and Piggie were created as reflections of my favorite round headed characters when I was a kid, Charlie Brown and his pals. How wonderful that after reading my books, the John F. Kennedy Center asked me to help create a musical starring Elephant Gerald and Piggie and (more wonderful still) now it will head to Minneapolis to one of the nation’s most acclaimed children’s theater company.”

Production Photos by Dan Norman

The musical centers around the pessimistic pachyderm, Elephant Gerald and his perky pal Piggie’s opposites-attract friendship and real-life questions and predicaments that people face. For example, what if you have never done something before and are afraid? What do you do if someone makes you angry? What can you do if you think your best friend is moving away forever? Joyfully sung to music with back-up singers, The Squirrelles, the pages of the littlest audience member’s favorite books come to life on stage.

There is nothing quite like a night at the theatre for quality family time. I just LOVE whenever my kids get a chance to experience a live production- some days it seems like our lives are filled with a little too much sports, academics, church, and video games. It can be hard to squeeze the arts and creative ventures in there! That’s why we squeal every time we get a chance to visit the Children’s Theatre Company, because we know we are in store for a great show!

Elephant & Piggie We Are in a Play! DID NOT disappoint. The giggles were endless and the smiles ear to ear. I just kept sneaking peeks at my boys to see how they were enjoying it, and I hardly ever caught them without a huge grin. Whether you’re family is a huge fan of the books by Mo Willems or not, they are sure to love this production. The actors who play Gerald (Elephant) and Piggie were superb. Their voices and mannerisms were spot on. You are lead through a few adventures with the two best friends- and it’s just filled with fun, dancing, singing, and touching heart-to-heart moments. One of my favorite things about the Children’s Theatre Company is how they always get the audience involved at just the right time. They know kids, and they know that getting the kids involved helps them to keep their attention throughout the whole performance.

We went out for ice cream afterwards and talked about our favorite parts, what we thought about the actors, and how the play was like the books. Such a wonderful time spent with my family doing something special and that we don’t do often enough!