The Aristocats KIDS Auditions in Berea | Spotlight Acting School

Some movies belong mostly to one generation. Disney’s The Aristocats belongs to several.

Many grandparents first met Duchess, Thomas O’Malley, Marie, Toulouse, and Berlioz when the animated movie arrived in theaters in 1970. Parents may remember watching it during a later theater release, on television, or over and over at home. Today’s children are still discovering the same cats, songs, jokes, and Paris adventure.

Now local children can become part of that story themselves.

Spotlight Acting School will hold auditions for Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS on Saturday, September 5, 2026, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at The Spotlight Playhouse in Berea. Auditions are open to children ages 4 through 11. The production will be directed by Daesha Miller.

For a child who has never performed before, this may be one of the best places to begin.

A Story That Has Lasted for Generations

Disney released The Aristocats on December 24, 1970. The movie later returned to theaters in 1980 and again in 1987, introducing the story to new groups of children. More than 55 years after its original release, the characters and music remain familiar to families.

That long history gives the upcoming Spotlight production something special. A grandparent may recognize the music before rehearsal begins. A parent may remember which kitten was their favorite. A child may already know Marie, the confident little white kitten who has never been accused of lacking an opinion.

Few children’s shows arrive with three generations already prepared to enjoy them.

The children get to discover the excitement of performing a Disney story. Parents and grandparents get to see an old favorite come to life in a new way.

Music Families Already Love

The stage version includes many of the songs that helped make the movie memorable. The score includes “Scales and Arpeggios,” “Thomas O’Malley Cat,” and the song most closely connected to the story, “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat.”

Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS also includes bright group numbers created for young performers. Music Theatre International describes the show as a jazzy, upbeat adventure with a cast that can grow by adding more alley cats to the group.

That is good news for children taking their first step onto a stage.

A young performer does not have to carry the entire show alone. Children can sing with a group, learn dances beside friends, and become more comfortable performing as part of a cast.

Parents should be warned that the songs may follow the family home. They may be heard in the car, at breakfast, or while someone practices being a cat in the living room. Fortunately, the music is fun enough that most parents and grandparents will probably enjoy hearing it for the next several months.

Good Lessons Inside the Fun

The Aristocats is funny, colorful, and filled with music, but it also carries strong lessons for children.

The story begins when Madame Bonfamille decides to leave her home and money to Duchess and her three kittens. Her greedy butler, Edgar, wants the fortune for himself. He takes the cats away and leaves them far from home. Duchess and her kittens must work together to return to Paris.

Along the way, Thomas O’Malley chooses to help a family he barely knows. The alley cats welcome animals who come from a very different world. Roquefort, a small mouse, shows great courage when his friends need him.

The story teaches that family matters more than money. It shows that kindness is more important than status. It reminds children that friends do not have to look alike, live alike, or come from the same place.

Most of all, the cats make it home because many different characters decide to help one another.

Those are valuable lessons, but the show never stops to lecture the audience. It delivers them through comedy, adventure, music, and a butler who is not nearly as clever as he believes.

A Strong First Show for Young Children

Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS is a shorter stage musical created especially for young performers. It includes 19 named roles, a flexible ensemble, and group numbers that can include additional children. That makes it a helpful starting point for students with different levels of experience.

Some children may be ready for a larger speaking or singing role. Others may feel more comfortable beginning as part of a group of alley cats, dogs, geese, or other characters.

A child does not need to arrive already knowing which role they should play. That is what the audition and rehearsal process will help determine.

Spotlight Acting School uses a learn-through-production approach. Children build acting, singing, dancing, focus, memory, teamwork, and public-speaking skills while preparing a real show for an audience.

They are not expected to know everything on the first day. They are there to learn.

Every Child Has a Place

Parents sometimes hear the word “audition” and assume their child may be rejected.

That is not how Spotlight Acting School productions work.

Auditions are open to all children within the listed age group. No earlier enrollment is required, and every child who auditions for a Spotlight Acting School production will receive a role.

The audition helps the director learn about each child. Can the child follow directions? Do they enjoy singing? Are they comfortable speaking alone, or would they be happier beginning with a group? Do they have a big personality, a quiet focus, a funny walk, or a natural way of helping other children?

There are many ways to be successful onstage.

A shy child does not have to become the loudest child in the room. A first-time performer does not have to compete with a student who has already completed several shows. Each child begins from a different place, and the goal is to help every student grow from there.

Two Casts Create More Opportunities

Spotlight plans to produce The Aristocats KIDS with two separate casts: the Blue Cast and the Purple Cast.

These are equal groups. The color names do not represent skill levels, rankings, or first and second place. Each cast will rehearse separately and perform its own complete production.

Having two casts allows more children to participate while keeping each rehearsal group smaller. Young performers receive more attention from the director, more time to practice, and more opportunities to be involved onstage. It also helps prevent a children’s production from becoming overcrowded; every child should have room to learn, move, sing, and be seen.

Blue Cast Rehearsals: Saturdays from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Purple Cast Rehearsals: Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Regular rehearsals will not be held on November 28 or December 26 because of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday weekends.

A Saturday Schedule for Families

The one-hour Saturday schedule gives young children time to learn without turning every weekend into an all-day commitment. It also gives families several months to watch the production grow.

Students will begin rehearsing in September 2026 and carry the show into January 2027. By the time performances arrive, the children will have learned music, movement, lines, stage directions, and how to work together as a cast.

Blue Cast Performances: January 15 through 17, 2027
Purple Cast Performances: January 22 through 24, 2027

Each cast will also have a dress week before its performances. During dress week, children attend additional evening rehearsals so the costumes, lights, sound, scenery, and acting can all be brought together. Families should review the complete schedule before accepting a role and share any known conflicts with the director.

Parents and Grandparents Join the Adventure

A child’s first show is rarely only about the child.

Parents learn the rehearsal routine. Brothers and sisters hear the songs. Grandparents mark performance dates on the calendar. Families help children practice, remember lines, find costume pieces, and arrive on time. Then they sit in the audience and watch a child do something that may have seemed impossible a few months earlier.

A familiar show makes that shared experience even better. Parents and grandparents do not have to sit through a story that only makes sense to very young children. The Aristocats has humor, music, and characters that adults already know.

The child gets the excitement of performing a Disney favorite. The adults get the joy of seeing an old story through new eyes.

More Than One Kind of Confidence

Not every child who joins theater dreams of becoming a professional actor. Most will choose other paths.

Theater still gives them useful skills. Children learn to speak clearly and listen while someone else is talking. They discover that being part of a group means arriving prepared and helping other people succeed. They learn that mistakes can be corrected. They also learn that feeling nervous does not always mean they should stop; sometimes it means they are about to do something brave.

The final performance is important, but it is not the only success.

The child who enters the first rehearsal looking at the floor may be standing tall by opening night. The student who is afraid to sing alone may discover that singing with friends feels safe. A child who has trouble finding a place in other activities may discover that a room filled with singing cats feels exactly right.

Audition & Production Details

Production: Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS
Presented by: Spotlight Acting School
Director: Daesha Miller
Ages: 4 through 11
Audition Date: Saturday, September 5, 2026
Audition Time: 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Location: The Spotlight Playhouse, 214 Richmond Road, Berea, KY
Blue Cast Schedule: Rehearses Saturdays 9:30–10:30 a.m. | Performs January 15–17, 2027
Purple Cast Schedule: Rehearses Saturdays 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Performs January 22–24, 2027
Holiday Breaks: No regular rehearsals on November 28 or December 26, 2026

Note: No child needs to be enrolled before attending the audition. Every child who auditions will be cast.

Complete audition details are available at: https://www.spotlightactingschool.com/auditions/

A Good Time to Begin

A first audition does not have to begin with a child who already knows how to act, sing, or dance.

It can begin with a child who likes cats. It can begin with a child who loves Disney movies. It can begin with a parent who remembers the songs and wonders whether their child might enjoy singing them from the stage.

It can even begin with a grandparent saying, “I watched that when I was your age.”

Disney’s The Aristocats has already stood the test of time. This fall, it may also help a new group of Berea children take their first steps onto the stage.

After all, everybody wants to be a cat. Some children are about to get their chance.

About the Author

Chad Hembree serves as the Executive Director of Spotlight Acting School, The Spotlight Playhouse, and Spotlight Performing Arts. A resident of Berea, Kentucky, and a former member of the Berea Council, he has spent decades working in community theater, arts education, and local journalism. Since 1995, he has operated BereaOnline.com, focusing on local news, civic issues, and stories that highlight community collaboration and grassroots efforts across Madison County.

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August 28–30, 2026: Shrek the Musical KIDS (Spotlight Acting School students ages 4 to 11) at The Spotlight Playhouse.
August 28 – September 6, 2026: Sense and Sensibility… and Margaret (The Bluegrass Players) at The Spotlight Playhouse.
September 5, 2026: Auditions for Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS (ages 4 to 11) at The Spotlight Playhouse.
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This article originally appeared on BereaOnline.com – your home for Madison County news, community events, and local updates.

Sources

Spotlight Acting School Auditions: https://www.spotlightactingschool.com/auditions/
Music Theatre International (Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS): https://www.mtishows.com/disneys-the-aristocats-kids
Disney Movies (The Aristocats): https://movies.disney.com/the-aristocats
D23 (The Aristocats Film History): https://d23.com/a-to-z/aristocats-the-film/
The Spotlight Playhouse: https://www.thespotlightplayhouse.com/

A Disney Classic Opens the Door to the Stage With The Aristocats KIDS Auditions in Berea