Broadway veteran nurturing young audiences in classic bedtime story

Veteran actor Mercedes Perez performed on Broadway in A Chorus Line as Diana Morales; in Cats as Demeter and Grizabella; and in the ensemble of Take Me Along. Her national tours have included Les Miserables and A Chorus Line. She performed in DCPA Theatre Company productions of Life is a Dream (as Viola), The Winter’s Tale (as Time) and A Christmas Carol (as the Wife of Christmas Past). She recently starred as Donna Sheridan in Lake Dillon Theatre Company’s production of Mamma Mia; and also played Molina’s mother in Kiss of the Spider-Woman there. She also has performed at the Arvada Center in West Side Story, Ragtime, Pippin and Sweet Charity; at Theatre Aspen in Tartuffe; and at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College as The Witch in Into the Woods. And before she was cast in Goodnight Moon, you could have found her tending to the animals at the local MaxFund vet clinic.

• Roles: Old Lady Bunny, Cat and Bear in DCPA Education’s Theatre for Young Audiences production of Goodnight Moon
  
• Hometown: Houston
• Home now: Denver
• One thing many people might not know about you: I serve concessions at my daughter’s softball games.
• Favorite bedtime story growing up: My parents were not traditional at all. My mother was a singer so she would sing to me. But most of the time I would cuddle with my stuffed animals.
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  Mercedes Perez in Lake Dillon’s 2012 ‘Kiss of the Spider-Woman.’

  Did you ever run way as a kid like The Runaway Bunny almost did? Never! I liked being home. Only when I got to be a teenager did I feel like running away. so I moved to New York City right after I graduated from high school.

• One particular challenge about performing for young children: Concentration! And not laughing when the little ones yell out comments.
• One particular joy about performing for young children: Their honesty. If they don’t like something, they will let you know. Don’t ever think you can phone in a performance because they are children. They are really listening and watching. More so than some grown ups.
• Why is it important to expose children to the magic of live theatre? I have a 16-year-old daughter. It is important to nurture their imaginations when they are young.
• What’s so special about this particular production of Goodnight Moon? The incredible set, props and lights. They really enhance the storytelling.
• Fill in the blank (with any word other than ‘moon’): “Goodnight ____”:  John Boy!

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Goodnight Moon

• Book, music and lyrics by Chad Henry, adapted from the book by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd
• Dates: Performances through February 16
• Randy Weeks Conservatory Theatre
• Tailored for pre-kindergarten through third-grade audiences
• There will be an ASL interpreted and audio-described performance on November 9
• Weekday student performances $10 and weekend performances $16-$20
• Scholarships will be available for student groups
• Tickets: Call 303-839-4100 or
  
  BUY TICKETS

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Photo gallery: Goodnight Moon

Photos by Adams VisCom