With daring adventures, comical moments and sprinkles of crowd interaction, NW Theatre Department’s upcoming production of ‘Puss in Boots’ promises to transport audiences into a world of wit and wonder.
Running March 6-8, this adaptation of the classic fairy tale aims to bring laughter, charm and excitement with its quick-witted jokes and animated characters, making it viable for theatergoers of all ages.
Historically, ‘Puss in Boots’ has been a story of trickery, often portraying Puss as a cunning and self-serving character. Dream- Works’ version follows a similar path, with Puss beginning as the bad guy before learning to be good.
However, this adaptation, based on Girolamo Morlini’s original tale and adapted by Moses Goldberg, takes a more playful and comedic approach.
Director and NW Learning Lab manager Derek Salazar wanted a more light-hearted interpretation where Puss is a heroine helping those who help her.
“It’s less of that conniving, ‘How can I get what from who vibe from ‘Grimm’s Fairy Tales,” Salazar said. “Much less of the dark side from older fairy tales. It’s more about helping others and, of course, a cat with boots and a hat.”
Salazar said he incorporated audience participation to enhance this playful tone. Viewers will be invited to assist in various scenes, such as blowing warm air toward Puss when she’s thrown into a cold river to help warm her up.
“There’s a show within a show,” Salazar said. “It starts with the cast, an acting troupe, that has been performing together for a while, preparing for ‘Puss in Boots’. Audiences will see them setting up props and scenes before introducing the play itself.”
NW student Alma Dominguez, who plays Puss, said she infused the character with her personality to differentiate it from previous versions.
“[Puss] is clever, loyal, always a step ahead and so sassy,” Dominguez said. “The character is less serious. I had to detach myself from what I knew about Puss and Antonio Banderas’s version to make her my own.”
Dominguez said this allows her character to thrive on humor in a way other portrayals might not have.
NW student Scotty Ebron, who plays the king, Jones and the ogre, said each of his characters have unique quirks and challenges.
“There’s stuff you just have to suck up and do, like getting on the floor and pretending to lick it as the ogre,” Ebron said. “Seeing people laugh gives you that confidence boost and makes it all worth it.”
For NW student and understudy Ezra Steward, this production marks her first time acting, presenting new challenges and experiences.
“I’m terrified of being in front of people, but Derek has been very supportive,” Steward said. “I’m usually working backstage, so when I tell my friends about the play, they get excited.”
With NW theatre currently under construction, the play will be performed in the NW01 learning stair foyer. Adjustments had to be made to ensure the production fit the unconventional space.
“The learning stairs have a glass background, and with construction going on, eyes tend to wander,” Salazar said. “Our set designer had the idea to create a forest scene with three-dimensional elements to make it stand out more.”
Salazar said another challenge was the lack of a traditional dressing room.
“The costumes are simplified,” Salazar said. “We have a base set that allows for layering on top, which works well with the ‘show within a show’ concept.”
Because of the performance space, a traditional ticketing system isn’t possible. Instead, admission is pay what you can, with proceeds benefiting the Humane Society of North Texas.
“You can donate a bag of dog food, gift cards, bandages, anything the Humane Society needs,” Salazar said. “If you pay with cash, half of the proceeds will go to NW theatre scholarships, and the other half to the Humane Society.”
Salazar said this format aligns perfectly with the play’s message of helping others for the sake of kindness.
For more information, the NW production website includes donation options, along with Salazar’s contact details for any questions.
