Hide the lasagna! Garfield: the Musical with Cattitude is coming to Circa 21

A certain lasagna loving cat is making his long-awaited debut at the Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse in Rock Island

Circa ’21 will present show-only performances of “Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude” on scheduled Tuesday through Saturday mornings on June 8, 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, 20, 23 and 24. Doors open for morning productions at 9:30 a.m. and the shows start at 10 a.m. Afternoon shows take place on June 10, 17 and 24, with doors opening at 12:30 p.m. and shows starting at 1 p.m.

Garfield creator Jim Davis co-wrote the book with Michael J. Bobbitt and composer John L. Cornelius II created the music and lyrics for the play.

Garfield wakes to learn that his birthday, the most important day of the year, has fallen on a Monday. EEK! On top of that, his friends Jon, Odie, Arlene and even Nermal have forgotten it’s his special day. Garfield leaves home, feeling rejected, but quickly realizes that outside his front door there’s no TV, the food is (literally) garbage and animal control is never far away. Will the fretful feline learn the importance of the little things like friendship and “home is where the heart and the food is” in time?

Brad Hauskins, one of the stars of the recent “Grumpy Old Men: The Musical,” directs and choreographs “Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude” and served as set designer. Circa veteran Shelley Walljasper serves as the show’s music director. Costume designer Bradley Robert Jensen, stage manager and props designer Kendall McKasson, lighting designer and assistant stage manager Emmett Boedeker, sound designer and engineer Ben Takitch, production manager Jeremy Littlejohn and scenic artist Becky Meissen count out Hauskins’ creative team that brings “Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude” to life.

Littlejohn also portrays “Garfield’s” title character. His other area acting credits included roles in the Mockingbird on Main’s “A Christmas Carol” and “Murder at Mistwell Manor.”  Abigail Graham is the show’s dance captain, co-choreographer and plays the empty-headed pooch Odie. Caitie Moss plays Nermal, Sylvia Muchmore portrays Arlene and T.J. Besler does double duty as Garfield’s owner Jon and a potentially despicable animal-control officer.

Tickets are $10 per person. For tickets and information, call (309) 786-7733, ext. 2 or click here.

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