'Skippyjon Jones' uses his imagination for Mexican adventure

The famous naughty, spunky Siamese kitten named Skippyjon Jones stars in a best-selling children's book series not only because he's just so adorable and funny, but also because he's so relatable, says the writer and lyricist of a musical stage version that is coming to Pittsburgh starting Sunday.

"He's very funny and very mischievous," Kevin Del Aguila says about the title kitten. "He's always getting in trouble to the delight of his sisters and the not-so-delight of their mom. They just love to see the wacky things that he does."

The "Skippyjon Jones" play, which is being presented by the Pittsburgh International Children's Theater, is based on the first book in the illustrated series by Judith Byron Schachner. Skippyjon is a Siamese kitten that stubbornly refuses to just be ordinary. The kitty's ears are too big for his head, and his head is too big for his body -- so, little Skippyjon is convinced that he really is a Chihuahua dog. Adding to his identity crisis, Skippyjon comes from an otherwise all-female litter of kittens, and feels like he doesn't belong.

"He doesn't like being a Siamese cat," says Del Aguila, who lives in New York City. "He wants to be anybody but a Siamese cat."

Skippyjon puts on a mask and cape, picks up a sword, and escapes into his imagination, where he is "Skippito Friskito" -- a doggy Zorro-like character in a Mexican city populated by Chihuahuas. In this adventure, Skippyjon tries to rescue Los Chimichangos (a gang of Chihuahuas) from Skippito Bandito -- a fierce Mexican sword fighter -- and the Great Bumblebeeto, a giant bee that stole all the frijoles (beans).

While the kids are laughing, they will learn many Spanish and "Spanglish" words and phrases peppered throughout the script, Del Aguila says. He wrote the lyrics and libretto for the play, and composer Eli Bolin created the score. The cast of characters will sing and dance -- and meow and bark, to boot -- throughout the show.

"It's been great to watch the kids, bouncing up and down on their seats, watching ... Skippyjon Jones," Del Aguila says. "Right next to them, their parents are sitting and laughing just as hard."

While watching Skippyjon Jones and the kitten's overactive imagination, kids will learn a lesson, Del Aguila says. Skippyjon faces his feline-ness, but continues to fantasize.

"In the end, he kind of comes to terms with that," Del Aguila says. "It's not just about learning to be yourself or learning to like what you are, but it's also learning to like what you want to be. ... They don't have to be mutually exclusive."

Additional Information:

'Skippyjon Jones'

When and where: 2 p.m. Sunday at Byham Theater, Downtown; 7 p.m. Wednesday, Gateway High School, Monroeville; 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17 at Marshall Middle School, Wexford; 7 p.m. Nov. 18 at Moon Area High School; 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Nov. 19 at Upper St. Clair High School; 2 p.m. Nov. 20 at Seneca Valley Senior High School, Harmony, Butler County

Admission: $11; $9.50 in advance

Details: 412-456-6666 or www.pgharts.org