Everybody Wants to be a Cat

On Saturday, July 19, 2025, the Arts Center Theater (ACT) presented The Aristocats Kids, which is the culmination of the Children’s Summer Theater Workshop. According to Patricia Mills, Communications Manager for the Marco Center for the Arts, this was an intensive class, and the students started working on the play on July 7th. They attended each class from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM within a very short two-week time frame for a double-feature full performance for the public on July 19th.  

The Aristocats Kids was directed by Dr. Cindy Gomez of the Collier County Public School System. She currently teaches Language Arts and Theatre at Lely High School.Dr. Gomez was named one of the 2024-2025 Collier County Teachers of Distinction. 

Gomez shared the following with the audience: “The students have spent 60 hours of rehearsal. Our participants ranged in age from 8-15 (and) some of them have never been on stage before. A few are going to look familiar as they’ve been here before. I’ve had a wonderful time working with the students. We have worked on choreography, acting, and staging, and they got a lesson on how to set up a prop table, how to do costuming, and I even gave them a lesson on what stage makeup should look like for an actor. They’ve had exposure to different things but more than that, this group of young people learned collaboration, camaraderie, friendship, and kindness. In the end, they were all talking, sharing, and when they go offstage, they are still singing backstage – just having a fabulous time! Now, it is our turn to share with you the culmination of all our work – we present to you, Aristocats Kids by Disney.” 

Hyla Crane, Director of the Marco Island Center for the Arts, gave a warm welcome to all the family and friends who came to support the afternoon performance of Aristocats Kids. A big thanks to the United Church of Marco Island for sponsoring the Children’s Programs for the Art Center. Also,thanksto an anonymous gift in memory of Deborah Braley and a gift in honor of Mary Kane Zemel, the Island Country Club Charitable Foundation, Collier Community Foundation - Marco Island Fund, Rotary Club of Marco Island Noontime, Gina Sisbarro, Phil Penzo, and many others in the community.  

Production services were provided by stage manager Joan Gerberding, scenic set construction and props by Tommaso Billitteri, sound and light designer Ron Clark, and costumes by “Miss Dee” Susan Luccisano and Ganna Gaber. Saturday Box Office help came from Patricia Mobley and Mary Beth Taylor. 

The 19talented cast members of The Aristocats Kids had the audience swinging to jazz tunes with the coolest O’Malley alley cats and singing “Everybody, Everybody wants to be a cat!”