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Kittens In YCTIWY

  • 1.  Kittens In YCTIWY

    Posted 11-25-2017 08:09
    Has anyone used real kittens in YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU? If so, could you describe your experience. Thank you!

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    Taylor Horne
    Upper School Theatre Director
    Jacksonville FL
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  • 2.  RE: Kittens In YCTIWY

    Posted 11-26-2017 16:27
    We are doing that show this year too! I have already decided against the kittens. They can be too unpredictable and I wouldn't want it to be a distraction from hard work. I love animals but avoid using them unless they can be trained--like a dog for Toto in Wizard of Oz.
    We will either used stuffed ones, or there are apparently these new robotic kitten toys that one of my students says could work---I told them to bring it in so we could see how it works.

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    Rachel Cox
    Drama Director
    Oakland Park FL
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Kittens In YCTIWY

    Posted 11-26-2017 20:05
    I️ used my dog instead. Kittens seemed too unpredictable. My dog is small (she also played Toto in Oz) and she sat in a crate by Penny’s desk and Penny took her off. She made a few other appearances in the dinner scenes. We renamed her Ethel Merman and hung a pic of Ethel and the dog side-by-side as if Penny had an obsession with Ethel.

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    Megan Weeks
    Teacher/Director
    Huron Valley Schools
    Milford MI
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Kittens In YCTIWY

    Posted 11-26-2017 20:26
    I played Penny once and used real kittens. The little darlings were alllll over the set in 2 shakes. I would suggest not using real ones, unless they're verrry low-key kittens!

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    Vicky Ryden
    Assoc. Drama Director
    John's Creek GA
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Kittens In YCTIWY

    Posted 11-27-2017 01:34

    We contacted someone that fostered kittens.  She had six kittens and we used two kittens each night of our show.  We had a program note that offered the kittens to anyone that was interested in adopting the kittens and we had people take them each night.  This was a great way of getting kittens for the scene and finding homes for them as well.  

    We put the kittens in a medium tall basket so they couldn't climb out but the mother character could lift them out and hold them.  


    Gary Weatherly
    Head of the Fine Arts Department
    Mountain Brook High School
    Mountain Brook, AL 




    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Kittens In YCTIWY

    Posted 11-27-2017 09:23
    We used a great Folkmanis cat puppet that looked surprising real. It was part of our prop stock from our Diary of Anne Frank production  The audience thought it was real cat. I agree with the other posters that on stage animals are difficult, time consuming, and often pull focus.

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    Kate Costello
    Theater director
    Arlington Heights IL
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Kittens In YCTIWY

    Posted 11-27-2017 14:05
    I am extremely allergic to kittens.  We had a cardboard box and actors pretending there were kittens inside.

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    C. J. Breland
    Asheville High School
    Asheville NC
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Kittens In YCTIWY

    Posted 11-27-2017 14:03
    The cat pooped on stage on opening night.  Everything had been going swimmingly during tech rehearsals, but an audience freaked the cat out.  Plus, the owner had decided that day to change the cat's food to another brand.  Go figure.  The actors managed to hold it together until they got the cat off stage and the crew cleaned up the mess.  They used a toy cat after that.  I've also seen llamas on stage - don't do that either!

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    Beth Rand, EBMS
    High School Theatre Operations Coach

    Next HS Theatre Management Training for Drama Teachers online course: Winter Session starts Jan. 15 (limited to 8 students).

    Author of "High School Theatre Operations" and "The High School Theatre Safety Manual" and several more books on Amazon and also at http://www.presett.org/helpful-books-for-you.html.

    www.PRESETT.org
    Westminster, CO
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Kittens In YCTIWY

    Posted 11-28-2017 09:44
    We used goldfish in a round period appropriate fish bowl since the script really doesn't talk specifically about cats.  Rheba carried them off very slowly.  They're now in my office as theatre department pets.

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    Christopher Howard
    Performing Arts Center Manager/Technical Director
    Bettendorf Community School District
    Bettendorf IA
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Kittens In YCTIWY

    Posted 11-28-2017 11:47
    I did the show last year, and we used a 20lb rabbit. She was a dream!

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    Lara Devlin
    Chair of Theatre Arts
    Monterey CA
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Kittens In YCTIWY

    Posted 11-29-2017 06:37
    A production I was in used a crew member's chihuahua mix puppy. She was small (and docile) enough for Penny to hold during the first scene, and then Rheba took her off. She had a ball in the green room after the show, with the rest of the cast. :)

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    Dianne Rowe
    Birmingham AL
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    Original Message


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