Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude

Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets in exchange for my honest review. 

Adventure Theatre MTC  is bringing the classic comic strip Garfield to life this summer with Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude. 

Based on the characters created by Jim Davis, the musical was written by Davis and and Michael J. Bobbitt with music by John L. Cornelius, II. Garfield is true to its comic strip roots, complete with an ode to hating Mondays, giant pans of lasagna and Pookie the teddy bear. This show has a little something for everyone. Parents and older kids will appreciate the big orange cat's sarcasm as Garfield struggles to cope with his friends forgetting his birthday, while younger kids will enjoy the physical comedy as Garfield sets out on his first big adventure. 

I brought my six year old daughter and three year old son to the show. My son liked the musical numbers most of all, and he clapped his hardest after each one. My daughter liked Arlene ("a pink cat!"), but she was amazed to learn that Nermal was played by a child actor. The part is shared by two local students, and my daughter was so excited that "a big kid is in a real show!" We've also brought Garfield comic books home from the library to continue the big orange fun at home.

If you've never been to Adventure Theatre before, summer is a great time for a visit! Plan to give yourself extra time to enjoy the beautiful carousel (a bargain at $1.25 a ticket!) and playground at Glen Echo Park. You'll also want to budget about 10 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the theater and another 10 or 15 minutes to be in line before showtime to ensure a good seat. There is no assigned seating at Adventure Theatre so if you're seeing the show with a larger group you'll want to arrive early to stake out a good spot.

If you have a newly potty trained child in your life, you should know that leaving the theater for a bathroom visit can be difficult. Because the actors use the two pathways in and out of the theater in the show, you'll need to time an exit with a break in the action, and you'll need help from a staff member to get back in. It's not impossible, but it's certainly more complicated than at other children's entertainment venues.

Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude is a fun show and perfect for kids of all ages - no scary bits from start to finish. It runs through August 23, 2015. Tickets are $19.50 each, and group and field trip rates are available. To buy tickets, call the box office at 301-634-2270 or visit Adventure Theatre MTC's website.

Special Performances:

American Sign Language Performance – July 11, 2015 at 2pm

Sensory/Autism Friendly Performance- August 15, 2015 at 2pm