On June 15 and 16, 2024, iStage’s 2023-2024 season production, “The Tabby Times”, was performed three times at the Wanping Theatre in Shanghai. The musical featured 150 young actors aged 4 to 18, and nearly 700 audience members attended the performances.
“The Tabby Times” is written by Dutch playwright Ferenc Alexander Zavaros, and first premiered in the Netherlands in 2015. This version is specially adapted for iStage Academy and directed by Karina Bes. Set in the small town of Newport, mysterious events are unfolding, but it seems only the cats are noticing. Bobbie, a struggling journalist, encounters a mysterious woman who turns his life upside down. Together, they attempt to unravel the town’s secrets, but the biggest secret of all, turns out to be the woman herself.
Comments from the audience and media:
“I had the privilege of watching this unique musical, and its charm took me into a world full of imagination and exploration. If you could choose, would you want to be a cat or a human? The story ultimately showed how humans and cats shared their lives, learning to respect and understand each other. The stage design was clever, and all the performers were students aged 7 to 18. As the show ended, laughter and applause filled the theater, and the audience was deeply immersed in this heartwarming story.”
“This was my first time seeing a children’s musical, and it was different from what I imagined. The roles were rich, and children of all ages performed wonderfully. The most memorable part was the group of little kittens, each with a different fur color, but all lively and adorable. The youngest seemed to be only 5 or 6 years old, but they were able to act and sing English musical numbers on stage—impressive!”
“Today’s kids are incredible! Full English singing and dancing, and they delivered their lines so effortlessly. Watching them, I struggled to keep up, but they nailed it. The younger kids’ performances were a bit raw, but the older ones were already outstanding. Truly impressive.” “I haven’t seen such a childlike production in a long time. It made me feel like I was back in my childhood, reading fairy tale picture books. The script and story were so charming, and the kids in the opening scene were super cute. They even whispered conspiratorially—so adorable! The middle school students who took on the lead roles… I have to say, they were steadier than many adult male leads in Chinese musicals!”
