Pete the Cat
Pete the Cat at Fox Tucson Theatre
Do you ever have those days that are best described as “a dream come true?” Thursday was one of those days for me. It would have been a dream come true for any theatre person, any teacher who loves taking students on field trips, or any lover of a good read aloud book – of which I am all three.
I was privileged to take 750 students on a field trip to the historic Fox Theatre Tucson to see a live musical about one of my favorite book characters ever – Pete the Cat. Thursday’s field trip was even more meaningful because Pete the Cat is geared for our audience of kindergarten, first, and second graders. Due to the pandemic and the nature of their young ages, this was likely the very first field trip for these students. Talk about a dream come true!
Students excitedly chanted “Pete the Cat!” as the house lights dropped, then fell silent with expectation. That didn’t last long, because this show was funny, and the students clapped and laughed along for the entire show.
As if that wasn’t enough joy, after the show we gave each student a hardcover copy of Pete the Cat Crayons Rock! to take home. One boy gingerly took the book from my hands and looked up at me questioningly. “Do I get to take this home?” he asked. “Yes! It’s yours!” I told him. “To keep?” he asked incredulously. “Yes, to keep forever!” I told him. He gripped the book in a tight hug and skipped out the door with a huge smile on his face. Thank you, Changing Hands Bookstore and ON Media!
Crayons Rock!, is a perfect companion for this live field trip. Pete draws pictures of his friends, but they find fault in them. Pete becomes fearful to make art because he might make a mistake. Pete’s art teacher tells the class that art should be fun! Art is for everyone! Art is about how it makes you feel! Pete learns that the best art comes from the heart. I agree wholeheartedly.
We even had KOLD Ch.13 come out and cover the segment, and Arizona Daily Star wrote a piece about the event. You can read the Arizona Daily Star article here.
Do you want to join us on a field trip? We still have offerings this spring! Go to https://act1az.org/in-person-field-trips/ to visit our calendar.
Dr. Beth Maloney, Director of Arts Education
