Hemet High School Theatre Department is performing Margaret Wise-Brown’s children’s book, “Goodnight Moon.” The set is being completed for the first performance Thursday, Oct. 9.     Photo by Bret CherlanD
Hemet High School Theatre Department is performing Margaret Wise-Brown’s children’s book, “Goodnight Moon.” The set is being completed for the first performance Thursday, Oct. 9. Photo by Bret CherlanD
Maria Perez plays Bunny in the Hemet High School production of “Goodnight Moon.”  Photo by Bret CherlanD
Maria Perez plays Bunny in the Hemet High School production of “Goodnight Moon.”
Photo by Bret CherlanD

“Goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere.”

Margaret Wise-Brown’s tiny and tender children’s book “Goodnight Moon” is familiar to generations of children and parents. In seven stanzas, Wise-Brown introduced entranced readers to the great Green Room inhabited by bears, kittens, mittens, a toy house, a mouse, a comb and a brush, a bowlful of mush and a quiet old lady whispering, “Hush.”

And since 2007, when premiered by the Seattle Children’s Theatre, “Goodnight Moon” the musical has captivated audiences by giving three-dimensional form to the room, its inhabitants and features, and its interlocutor, a bemused bunny, courtesy of Wise-Brown’s other book, “The Runaway Bunny.”

Under the direction of Hemet High School Theatre Faculty Bret Cherland, “Goodnight Moon” the musical, written and scored by Chad Henry, comes to life at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9 and Friday, Oct. 10 with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m.

Cherland’s Children’s Theatre production features Idyllwild residents Daniel Phillips as an actor in the ensemble and Ian Strunk, Kayleb Hembree and Bret Hembree as tech theater production crew.

“We’ve been able to incorporate so many great technical elements,” said Cherland, noting HHS’s new and expanded theater facilities. He gave particular credit to HHS junior Mercedes Evans who designed the set. “She’s a genius,” he said.

“We’re pretty proud of what we’re doing here,” said Cherland, citing HHS’s long tradition of theater excellence. “We’re especially glad to have the kids from Idyllwild who are so talented and have added so much over the years they have been part of our productions. We’re creating a theater family. It’s all about building ensemble.”

As part of its effort to bring theater to more children in the greater Hemet/San Jacinto area, HHS Children’s Theatre sent out 170 golden tickets (think Willy Wonka) to school district and valley librarians to be distributed to outstanding readers. The golden tickets are valid for free admission to one show for the winning student and their accompanying adult.

Visit hemethigh.com/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=327395&type=u for ticket information.