Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed
The Rock Experience
mole+gallery+image (1)

Script and Lyrics by Mo Willems
Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma
Megan Alrutz, Dramaturg
Based on the book by Mo Willems
Published by Music Theatre International.

Upcoming Productions

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience
3323 Walters Ave, Northbrook, Illinois
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience
The Coterie Theatre, Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, MO
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience
Virginia Repertory Theatre, West Broad Street, Richmond, VA
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience
Topeka Civic Theatre & Academy, Southwest 8th Avenue, Topeka, KS

Synopsis

“They are a little bit rat. They are a little bit mole. They are all naked.”

Wilbur is not your average naked mole rat: he loves to wear clothes.  But his au natural friends think he’s crazy and pressure him give up his clothes-wearing ways.  With tail-shaking tunes, empowering messages of individuality, and classic Mo Willems humor, this musical rocks audiences of all ages.

History

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience was commissioned by Seattle Children’s Theatre and premiered in May 2018 under the direction of Linda Hartzell, with a live band under the music direction of Tim Symons, and has since enjoyed productions around the country.  It was adapted into an animated special for HBOmax starring Jordan Fisher and Yvette Nicole Brown, premiering June 30, 2022.

“This delightful little story of following your own bliss as long as it doesn’t hurt someone else and letting others do the same is a lesson many in our society could learn.” – Broadway World

Greg McCormick Allen, Kate Jaeger, Lisa Estridge, Vickielee Wohlbach, and Duncan Frost at Seattle Children’s Theatre. Photo Credit: Elise Bakketun

Musical Numbers

1. NAKED RULES! - Ensemble
1. NAKED RULES! - Ensemble

2. TIME TO GET DRESSED - Wilbur
2. TIME TO GET DRESSED - Wilbur

3. SCANDAL! - Tall, Grande and Venti
3. SCANDAL! - Tall, Grande and Venti

4. HATS AND MORE! - Wilbur and Ensemble
4. HATS AND MORE! - Wilbur and Ensemble

5. GRAND POWER JAM - Secret Service Mole
5. GRAND POWER JAM - Secret Service Mole

6. PROCLAMATION - All
6. PROCLAMATION - All

7. SHOULD I GET DRESSED? - Wilbur

8. WHY NOT? - Grand-Pah and Ensemble

9. FASHION SHOW FINALE - All
9. FASHION SHOW FINALE - All

 

Listen to the original cast album on Spotify, or Amazon Music.

“SCT’s Latest Production is Going to Rock Your World!” – Red Tricyle

Daniel Bellusci, Marqell Edward Clayton, Nicole Cowans​ and Melody Butiu at South Coast Repertory. Photo credit: Debora Robinson

Production Elements

Oregon Children’s Theatre

Cast: 3 Women, 3 Men

Female
GRANDE MOLE RAT (Alto belt)

TALL MOLE RAT (Soprano belt)

WEATHER MOLE/SECRET SERVICE MOLE RAT (Mezzo belt)

Male
WILBUR J MOLE RAT, Jr  (Rock Tenor)

VENTI MOLE RAT  (Bass/Baritone)

GRAND-PAH/BUCK NAKED  (Baritone)

Cape Rep Theatre, MA

Music: Classic rock score for Keyboard, Bass, Drums, and Electric Guitar.  Accompaniment tracks available.
Musical Difficulty: Moderate
Technical Requirements: Minimal

Suggested Audience: Young Audiences/Families

“‘Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed’ is like a party for kids, and incredibly fun for adults too!” – ParentMap

Old Dominion University, Virginia

Authors

MO WILLEMS (Book and Lyrics) works in children’s books, animation, television, theater, and bubble gum card painting, garnering him 3 Caldecott Honors, 2 Geisel Medals, 6 Emmy Awards, 4 Geisel Honors, a Helen Hayes nomination, and multiple bubble gum cards.
He is best know for his characters Knuffle Bunny, The Pigeon, and Elephant and Piggie. He is worst known for his characters in Sheep in the Big City and The Off-Beats.  More information about Mo’s past, present, and future can be gleaned at www.mowillems.com

DR. MEGAN “AWESOME” ALRUTZ (Dramaturg) heads the Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities at the University of Texas at Austin.  She works nationally as a scholar, dramaturg, director and teaching artist in the areas of applied theatre and theatre with and for youth. Before coming to The University of Texas at Austin in 2009, she led the M.F.A. in Theatre for Young Audiences at the University of Central Florida. Her creative and scholarly work focuses on ethical representation and youth agency in applied theatre, theatre with and for youth and digital storytelling. Dr. Alrutz has a Ph.D. in Theatre from Arizona State University and a B.A. in Theatre from Rutgers University.

She was recently awarded the Harold Oaks Award in Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA/USA 2016), the Branson Ward Endowed Excellence Award (UT Austin 2016), the Foxworth Fellowship (UT Austin 2012), Grace Hill Milam Centennial Fellowship in Fine Arts (UT Austin 2011), Excellence in Graduate Teaching (UCF 2008) and the Service Learning Faculty Excellence Award (UCF 2007). She was also awarded the prestigious Winifred Ward Fellowship in 2003. Dr. Alrutz is a two-term board member of TYA/USA, and an active member of AATE, PSi and ATHE.

Dr. Alrutz currently co-directs the Performing Justice Project (PJP), an applied performance program that invited young people to devise new work about identity-based inequities and stories from their lives. She also co-directs Patchwork Stories, an on-going community-engaged performance project in partnership with the University of Exeter.

DEBORAH WICKS LA PUMA (music) – see her bio page

Purchase

Seattle Children’s Theatre Premiere

Listen to the original cast album on Apple Music, Spotify, or Amazon Music.

Buy the vinyl record at Barnes & Noble Booksellers.

Request perusal materials from Music Theatre International.

Vocal Work Out! CD

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