Thirty-five fourth through tenth graders who live in Northern Tioga School District communities are participating in Hamilton-Gibson’s “CATS” Winter Theatre Arts Camp in Elkland.

The 15-day after school camp began on Jan. 12 in the auditorium at Clark Wood Elementary School at 110 Addison Hill Road in Elkland.

It will end in the auditorium with two Pay-What-You-Can performances for the public at 7 p.m. next Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3 and 4.

“CATS: Young Actors Edition”was a huge leap for us,” said Thomas Putnam, Hamilton-Gibson’s artistic director. 

“This one-hour adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical is specially tailored to give a young cast an exciting and rewarding experience,” Putnam said.

“The show is a full hour of singing and dancing with very little dialogue. That is a departure from our typical camp productions.

“It offers a number of solo opportunities and features ensembles throughout rather than a title character or just a few people with a lot of lines,” said Putnam.

“The music is unique, mysterious, fun and challenging. Costumes and make-up are challenging and fun, too,” he said.

“All of the characters in the play are cats of various ages and sizes, each with a definitely unique personality,” Putnam explained.

Playing the seven more well known cats are: Lennon Worthington as Rum Tum Tugger; Nolan Cummings as Munkustrap; Xander VanDusen as Mungojerrie; Lyla Thompson as Rumpleteazer; Ben Schoonover as Old Deuteronomy; Breeze-Lyn Bronkoski as Grizabella and Lindsey Robinson as Demeter.

Also in the cast are: Loren Bacon, Sky Bacon, Brayleigh Bellows, Serenity Cunningham, Quinn Foster, Lillah Gillett, Giana Gonzalez, Helena Gonzalez, Laiken Hackett, Lainey Hackett, Madilynn Hurd, Jessalynne Erb-Jones, Matthew Erb-Jones, Carrigan Kemp, Maddie Knapp, Aiden McFall, Natalie Mitchell, Sadie Plunkert, Karsynn Stone, Ryleigh Taft, Isaiah Terpstra, Johanna Terpstra, Alivia Townsend, Kenedy VanGorden, Ashlyn Wells, Lillyonna Widger, Rylie Woodward and Gracie Worthington. 

This camp is offered free-of-charge to students residing in the Northern Tioga School District due to a generous grant from the Deerfield Charitable Trust, which sponsors it.

For more information, email hamgib@gmail.com or call the H-G office at 570-724-2079

Photo by John Eaton Pictured are six youngsters performing as cats. They are (from left to right) Giana Gonzalez, Nolan Cummings, Lindsey Robinson, Alivia Townsend, Lyla Thompson and Lennon Worthington.