Westborough's Steven Bergman Hosts Regional Premiere of Musical

24 Regional Young Actors Take on Area Premiere of Original Musical Promoting Acceptance & Tolerance

ArtsNashoba is crossing into new territory with a book and lyrics by local and award-winning playwright/composer Steven Bergman and Amy White Graves. “Reigning Cats & Dogs” will be presented March 23 and 24 at 7:00pm; March 25 at 2pm in the Richardson-Mees Performing Arts Center at Lawrence Academy in Groton, MA. Tickets are $10 for adults; $8 for students and seniors, and are available online at www.artsnashoba.org, or by calling (978) 842-1255.

A Sensory-Friendly performance will take place Saturday, March 24, 2017 at 2pm and is free to those audience members with special needs and their caretakers. ArtsNashoba’s Special Needs Coordinator Bonnie Marchesani at bonnie@artsnashoba.org.

Winner of the 2015 Jackie White National Children's Musical Theatre Award, Reigning Cats & Dogs is a musical about acceptance, personal identity, friendship and loyalty. Chou-Chou has a problem: she's a royal dog, but she's always felt like a cat on the inside. Whether it’s a mouse infestation at the castle, or trying to get a performance slot at the Club Kit Kat, she wants everything to be "Purr-fect!" How can she and her feline friends make the kingdom an accepting society? The cast will sing, dance and perform and bring these cats, dogs and mice to life in this Regional premiere!

This production is directed by ArtsNashoba’s Executive Director JulieAnn Govang (Ayer), with musical direction by Bergman (Westborough). Says Govang, “This musical has so many levels of greatness. First, it’s such a great opportunity for our kids to get to work with the person who actually wrote the material they’re performing. Second, it’s exciting to be a part of this regional premiere. Third, and probably most important, it allows them to make a statement about accepting everyone for exactly who they are, with no judgement and no exceptions.”

Featured in the cast are young actors from throughout the Region including Sammy Bennett, Destiny Bou, Josefina Brumbaugh, Hayley Cahill, Ella Dickinson, Amy Dressel, Emily Hanson, Sofia Santoro, Jai Santoro and Ethan White (Groton), Abbey Benotti (Nashua), Norah Brown (Lunenburg), Hailey Daniels, Lacey Gardner, Mallory Graves, Olivia Haskins, Emma Nickerson and Kate Spengler (Pepperell), James Mayes (Ayer), Maggie Pestana, Victoria Thompson and Rachel Young (Dunstable), Harper Pilat (Westford), and Martina Smyth (Shirley).

ArtsNashoba presents “Reigning Cats & Dogs” March 23 and 24 at 7:00pm; March 25 at 2pm in the Richardson-Mees Performing Arts Center at Lawrence Academy. Tickets are $10 for adults; $8 for students and seniors, and are available online at www.artsnashoba.org, or by calling (978) 842-1255.