Energy and imagination are all that is needed for Fred Penner and the Cat’s Meow Band’s performances at Orchestra Hall Saturday, with two shows at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Penner, whose act is specifically geared for family audiences, has had 20 successful years entertaining live audiences across North America including a yearly summer performance at Ravinia in Highland Park. Penner is in his 12th season as star of the Canadian TV series “Fred Penner’s Place.”
In his first performance at Orchestra Hall, Penner promises a menagerie of music and storytelling with selections from his recent album “Moonlight Express,” in addition to other sing-a-long favorites.
As a parent, Penner says he tries to use his abilities and understanding as a father to come across in a live setting but he insists that his communication to kids is the same as it is to adults.
“The closing song that I use in my TV series is `Take Good Care of Each Other,’ which is a very fundamental song and concept for me,” says Penner by phone from his home in Winnipeg. “That is sort of how I think things should work because we are all in this together, as difficult as it is sometimes. Taking care of each other is part of the human process.”
Up until 1992, “Fred Penner’s Place” was a staple on the kid’s cable network, Nickelodeon. Has the show’s cancellation affected Penner’s U.S. presence?
“My show was airing on a daily basis to 50 million homes and I don’t think I can underestimate that value,” says Penner. “The network (Nickelodeon) dropped myself, `Sharon, Lois & Bram’s The Elephant Show,’ and `Cappelli & Co.’ They basically eliminated anything that wasn’t in-house production. We have hundreds of shows in the can that are potential programs for the American market. We have been in contact with The Learning Channel and The Disney Channel and we are still pushing Nickelodeon.”
Tickets for Fred Penner and the Cat’s Meow Band are $5.50 to $16; box seats are $25. Stop by the Orchestra Hall box office at 220 S. Michigan Ave., or call 312-435-6666.
