Cat’s Cradle adapted for the Lifeline stage, with a diverse cast

John Hildreth, Ensemble Member of Lifeline Theatre, adapted the novel “Cat’s Cradle,” into a stage play. PHOTO PROVIDED BY LIFELINE THEATRE.
John Hildreth, Ensemble Member of Lifeline Theatre, adapted the novel “Cat’s Cradle,” into a stage play. PHOTO PROVIDED BY LIFELINE THEATRE.

Cat’s Cradle adapted for the Lifeline stage, with a diverse cast

By Tia Carol Jones

“Cat’s Cradle” by Kurt Vonnegut was published in 1963 and is a satirical novel about religion, science, the arms race and technology, set in a postmodern world.  While it was written 60 years ago, the themes of the novel are relevant to today’s audiences.

John Hildreth, Ensemble Member of Lifeline Theatre, has adapted the book into a play. The Lifeline production also has a diverse cast. The play will run through Sunday, Oct. 22nd, at Lifeline Theatre, located at 6912 N. Glenwood in Rogers Park.

Lifeline Theatre was founded in 1982 by students from Northwestern University. Its mission is to explore, interpret, and reimagine books and other literary works to create stories that move beyond the margins of people’s lives. Throughout its history, Lifeline Theatre has developed more than 120 world premier literary adaptations and 16 original plays.

Tony Bozzuto plays Jonah, the narrator of the play; and Johnard Washington plays Bokonon, L. Boyd Johnson, the religious leader. Hildreth describes “Cat’s Cradle” as a story about a scientific researcher and his children, a made up religion, the end of the world and the experience of a freelance writer.

Hildreth said “Cat’s Cradle” is his one of his favorite novels of all time. He thought it was entertaining and funny. In order for him to adapt the book into a play, he identified the characters and ensured that the integral parts of the story were included in the stage adaptation. He was able to write, while consolidating characters and skipping plot moments.

Hildreth said while having a diverse cast for the production is important, it has always been important. This time, there were more diverse actors available for the roles.

A couple of the major characters, from the religious leader to the dictator, are Black. Bokonon, the religious leader’s storyline involves how he ended up on the island of San Lorenzo. Some of the dictator "Papa" Monzano’s story also is included in the play. But, Hildreth said how he plays into the end of the story is what is most important.

Hildreth, said Heather Currie, director of ‘Cat’s Cradle,’ has new angles on the characters, the music and the story. The character tracks have also been adjusted which results in a different feel, as well as the script and has been streamlined and reorganized.

Currie said in a questionnaire that the parallels to the book and the contemporary context are that  science and technology will always move forward, but humans must consider the consequences of progress.

“Challenging the American ego is still at the forefront of our discussions today in 2023. Satire still helps us laugh when looking at the dark parts of being human,” Currie said. “This play is a great example of ‘Big stories up close.’ We travel with Jonah from Ilium, New York to San Lorenzo, meeting an array of characters-but at the heart of this story is who are we as humans, and how can we do better?”

For more information about Lifeline Theatre, visit lifelinetheatre.com. To purchase tickets, visit https://lifelinetheatre.com/performances/2023-2024/cats-cradle, or call the box office at 773-761-4477.

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