OREM — It has been a couple of years since I’ve been able to attend a Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) production at the SCERA Center for the Arts, as the theatre is now 90 minutes away from my home, and I have truly missed it. It is my favorite company to take my kids as it is one of the most family friendly companies I’ve attended in Utah. When I saw that they were producing A Peter Rabbit Tale I knew I had to take my rabbit loving, kindergartener to see the show – and I am so very glad that I did.
A Peter Rabbit Tale, with book by Sarah Brandt and Music and Lyrics by Neal Richardson, is based off of the books by Beatrix Potter. Of course Peter Rabbit’s original tale is told of his adventures in Mr. McGregor’s garden, but this production continues the tale by showing what happens when young Peter flees the garden and the continues running away from home. Along the way he runs into more of Beatrix Potter’s other characters like Nutkin, Twinkleberry, Thomasina, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, Simpkin, and Jeremy Fisher. Each character helps Peter Rabbit to truly appreciate being a rabbit and being apart of his chosen family.
This show, directed by Kelsey Mariner Thompson and choreographed by Rebecca Varney, featured a talented cast of four: Camryn Blair, Kat Balanzategui, Trixy Tsai, and Carley Porter Lindsay. With the exception of Camry Blair as Peter Rabbit, each played five or six different roles, and made each role distinct and different.
Camryn Blair was a ball of energy and enthusiasm in the role of Peter Rabbit. Right from the start she caught the audience’s attention. She threw herself fully into the character of Peter Rabbit, so much so that she was left out of breath after running from Mr. MacGregor. This made it hard for her to hit the first few high notes of, “The Perfect Place,” but she managed to regain her breath control while still maintaining a strong character and energy.
As a parent I couldn’t help but laugh as I watched Blair, Balanzategui, and Tsai bicker and pick at each during the “whiny baby” scene. It was no wonder that Lindsay as Mother couldn’t catch all the sneaky behavior, since it flowed so fast between characters. The scene was clearly directed and acted by individuals who have observed real life siblings at work.
There were so many fun nuggets in this show, such as Tsai as Mr. McGregor sneaking up on Benjamin and Peter with an oversized net just like Elmer Fudd would sneak up on Bugs Bunny. My child especially enjoyed the scenes with Balanzategui as Nutkin and Lindsay as Twinkleberry. I could see why with their high hillbilly energy. Another gem was the choice to use vibrattos for the mice in the song, “Being a Mouse.” During the mouse scene, Balanzategui as Simpkin the cat makes an appearance and is perfectly diabolical and two faced until Lindsay as Thomasina gives him a poke with a needle.
The SCERA always appears to dedicate full attention to the designs of it’s productions, and this is especially true for TYA productions. Although my child has attended theatre productions before, this was her first experience with a traditional proscenium stage. Her face lit up as the curtains opened on a stage with a vivid forest backdrop, along with proscenium legs painted to match, thus framing the stage. Ethan Harrison’s set design continued to surprise her as the center set rotated multiple times revealing a new location each time. Before the show, my daughter noticed the lights above our seats in the auditorium and she watched as Chase Elison’s light design lit up each scene. I personally loved Kelsey Seaver’s choice to design the costumes with the unifying factor being a crocheted hat and a soft color palate, evocative of Beatrix Potter’s illustrations.
This one hour show was worth the three hours we spent driving that night. The SCERA Center for the Arts has once again proved why they are one of my top family-friendly theatres. If you want your child to have a positive theatre experience, don’t hesitate to take them to A Peter Rabbit Tale at SCERA, where the show is a delight for all ages.
A PETER RABBIT TALE is playing at the SCERA Center for the Arts on Mondays and Fridays at 7pm until February 13, 2026. Tickets are $11.50 each. For more information, please visit https://scera.org/event-category/theatre-for-young-audiences/.