One does not have to be a fan of Pete the Cat from his series of children’s books and animated TV show to enjoy the musical coming to the Poway Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s a great show for little kids and older ones, like third to fifth grade, who will enjoy it as well as adults … because the music is very high-energy,” said Daniel Jiménez Pagán, who plays the title role. “The themes and lessons are very important.”
Those lessons include helping second-grader Jimmy Biddle learn about creativity, friendship and finding inspiration in unexpected places while Pete helps his human family member with an art project.
“Pete teaches him better ways to fix mistakes than he would do with a Type-A personality,” Jiménez Pagán said.
“Pete is a carefree cat, a well-known rock star … who has to learn to not always be (alone) … to coexist with a family … be part of a group and not a soloist.”
Pete does not have magical powers, but there are magical elements to the show, including a VW bus that can take the characters anywhere in the world. In the show it transports them to Paris.
Pete also has magical sunglasses that help him see things that are not there.
The 50-minute, one-act musical includes audience interaction that begins within a couple minutes of the opening, Jiménez Pagán said. The audience’s response is key to how the actors approach their performance going forward.
“We get an idea how the rest of the show will be, though sometimes they start quiet then surprise us by being more rowdy,” he said. “It is very much a question mark. If we feel like it is not a reactive audience we give more to entice them. But if they are giving back we just play along.”
Jiménez Pagán recently gave his 100th performance as Pete. He ed the cast last year, performing from March through May, then resumed the role in January. Having played Pete so long, Jiménez Pagán said keeping the show fresh for the actors is a challenge due to pre-choreographed elements, but the cast tries to add new stuff.
“We will say new jokes and do things that are not scripted, such as the way we say a line while keeping the integrity of the show,” he said. “We do things backstage or might give a look to each other that keeps it fresh while consistent every time. That is how we enjoy doing it.”
Because Pete is a cat, Jiménez Pagán said he has to include many cat behaviors into his portrayal, such as licking his paws or crawling around on all fours. But Pete is also human-like in that he often walks on two legs and talks with his human family.
“He dances and is a very chill guy … using his tail as a microphone,” he said.
Jiménez Pagán said he has been around cats all his life and is using his familiarity with their behaviors as a guide to his portrayal.
“I get into their mentality to be more animalistic and prepare in my mind and body,” he said.
Bringing to life a character that many audience have likely envisioned while reading the 87-book series written and illustrated by James Dean since 1999 is also a challenge, he said.
“I was vaguely aware of Pete the Cat (prior to being cast) … because it was not a part of my childhood,” Jiménez Pagán said. “But after I was cast I read them and heard the songs.”
Jiménez Pagán said he grew up in Puerto Rico in a family that was very science oriented. Both of his parents have Ph.D’s in the sciences and his early career aspirations were to be an engineer.
That changed in high school when he took a drama class where his teacher recognized his natural talent for acting and encouraged him to pursue it.
“Little by little I fell more in love with (it) while doing musicals in high school,” he said, noting theater is not very big in Puerto Rico. “It was definitely a difficult decision as we do not have many go out to study musical theater and leave the island. But I have a very good system with my family and friends and took the jump. It was very much worth it.”
After high school he enrolled in Marymount Manhattan College in New York City, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in musical theater. Since then he has been in many shows, including playing Linus in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” and Link Larkin in “Hairspray.” “Pete the Cat” is his first national tour.
Seeing children in the audience smile, sing along, dance and express their energetic spontaneity to the show is “wonderful,” Jiménez Pagán said, noting they often start chanting “Pete the Cat” about two minutes before the show starts.
“Pete the Cat” can be seen at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 15 in the Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15498 Espola Road. Tickets are $33-$47 for adults; $29-$41 for seniors (65-plus), active military and students (ages 13-21); and $21-$28 for youths (12 and under). Buy at powayonstage.com, visit the box office or call 858-748-0505.
After the show, ticketholders can attend “Party on the Plaza,” where there will be hands-on arts and crafts activities, a meet-and-greet with the cast, a therapy cat session courtesy of Love on a Leash, an interactive mural painting and a step-by-step learn to draw Pete the Cat tutorial with Sarah Allen from Art Deco Studios.
