‘Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed’ brings high-energy musical to LCCC stage

CHEYENNE, Wyoming – A mole rat who upends the social order of his colony is at the center of Laramie County Community College’s spring theatre production, a high-energy musical built around humor, spectacle and the challenge of staying true to yourself when others expect conformity.

LCCC Theatre will present “Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience” at 6 p.m. Apr. 16-18 and 23-25 in the Surbrugg/Prentice Auditorium on the college’s Cheyenne campus. Tickets are $10 for adults, while admission is free for students and children. Tickets are available at lccc.wy.edu/TheatreTickets. The production lasts about an hour and has a start time of 6 p.m. to accommodate a younger audience.

Since it will be performed in the Surbrugg/Prentice Auditorium, the production gives audiences a larger-scale show than the program’s Playhouse performances. Rock-infused musical numbers, broad comedy and a visually playful world help make this spring’s production especially lively, with plenty for younger viewers to enjoy and enough style and humor to keep older audiences engaged, too.

The production features the following LCCC students in lead roles:

• Camden Sulzen from Rawlins
• Hannah Skinner from Green River
• Maile Williams from Riverton
• Adri Potter from Riverton
• Gracie Durako from Cheyenne

In the story, Wilbur the mole rat discovers he likes to wear clothes, a choice that unsettles the colony around him and throws its sense of normal order into disarray. That playful premise gives the show room to explore something more recognizable as one character’s self-expression runs up against the expectations of the larger group.

“It was written as a children’s story, but it’s appealing to all ages,” said Jason Pasqua, LCCC Theatre instructor. “The message of the show, beyond wanting people to have a good time is be yourself; do your thing.”

Along with its all-ages appeal, the production serves as a substantial learning experience for LCCC students. Pasqua said the theatre production class functions like a theatre company each semester, bringing together students interested in performance, sound, lights, construction and costumes.

Work in the Surbrugg/Prentice Auditorium also pushes students to adapt to a bigger venue and a different kind of theatrical presence than the one required in the Playhouse. Adding to that experience, “Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed” will feature a live band and make full use of the auditorium’s technical capabilities to create an immersive production.

Based on the book by Mo Willems, “Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience” is designed as an all-ages show with humor and musical references that can land with children and adults alike.