Welcome to the exciting world of Simon, the backstage cat! Simon’s owner is a famous celebrity, and he gets to ride with her in a big, shiny limousine to the theater. They enter through the special stage door, and it’s still early, so there are no fans around yet. Simon’s owner is in a hurry, so she carries him all the way to her dressing room.
Simon watches as his owner, the leading lady, gets ready for the show. She puts on makeup, a wig, and a beautiful costume. Suddenly, they hear an announcement: “5 minutes to curtain!” His owner says, “Bye, Simon. Be good; I’ll be back at intermission.” But Simon sees something interesting in the hallway and dashes out the door!
Simon finds himself in a magical place filled with furniture, lights, props, and costumes. He sees two people talking but they don’t notice him. Suddenly, there’s a loud thump, and Simon runs onto the stage. He spots some white birch trees and climbs up to hide.
The stage manager calls out, “Simon, come down! The show must go on!” But Simon is having too much fun. He jumps to a taller tree and then onto a chandelier. The stagehands and electricians try to coax him down, but Simon isn’t interested in their fish sandwich or jumping into their arms.
Finally, Simon’s owner comes to the rescue. She sings a sweet song to him: “When you’re feeling all alone, I’ll be here. If you’re out all on your own, I’ll be here.” Her gentle voice makes Simon feel safe, and he carefully climbs down to her.
Simon gets a special seat in the wings of the stage, where he can watch the show. His owner tells him to stay put until the end. The orchestra plays, and the actors take their places. But during the third scene, Simon can’t resist and runs across the stage, becoming a star himself!
After the performance, Simon and his owner sign autographs at the stage door. It’s a fun and exciting day for Simon, the backstage cat!
If you love stories like Simon’s, there are many more to explore! Books are full of adventures and laughter. You can read them anywhere—in a car, on a plane, or even on a train. Ask your guardian to help you find some books, and you’ll be glad you did!
Thanks for joining Simon on his adventure! For more stories, you can try the Vooks app for free today.
Simon’s Adventure Map: Create a simple map of the theater using paper and crayons. Draw the different places Simon visited, like the dressing room, the stage, and the chandelier. Use different colors to show Simon’s path as he explored. Discuss with a friend or family member why Simon might have been curious about each place he visited.
Role-Play the Show: With a group of friends or family, act out Simon’s adventure. One person can be Simon, while others can be the stage manager, Simon’s owner, and the stagehands. Use simple props like chairs and blankets to create the stage setting. Think about how Simon felt during his adventure and try to express those feelings through your actions.
Simon’s Feelings Journal: Imagine you are Simon and write a short journal entry about your day at the theater. How did you feel when you saw the stage for the first time? What was it like to hear your owner sing to you? Share your journal entry with a classmate and discuss how Simon’s feelings changed throughout the story.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
—
[Music]
I am a backstage cat. My owner is a celebrity. I ride with her to the theater in a big silver-gray limousine. We go inside through the stage door; it’s early, before showtime, and there are no fans waiting. We go straight to the dressing room. I prefer to walk by myself, but my leading lady is in a hurry and carries me the whole way.
I watch as my leading lady gets ready. She needs rouge, powder, eyelashes, lipstick, bracelets, a wig, shoes, and her costume. We hear the announcement: “5 minutes to curtain.” Then my lady says, “Bye, Simon. Be good; I’ll be back at intermission.” But before the door closes, I spy something interesting in the hall. Oh, I run through the open door.
Where am I? There’s so much to see: furniture, lights, props, and costumes on stage. I see two people talking; I don’t think they notice me. Then, before I have time to figure out what’s going on, I hear a loud thump. Something big just dropped. I freeze, then I run straight onto the stage. Lucky me! I see some white birch trees. I run to the nearest one and start to climb.
When I reach the top, I curl up and try to make myself invisible. Then I hear a loud voice: “Simon, I am the stage manager. Come down! The show must go on!” I do not obey. I jump to a taller tree. The stage manager calls for the stagehands. Oh no, one of them shouts, “Simon, I am a stagehand. I have food for you. Come down! The show must go on!” I do not want to eat a fish sandwich. I take a flying leap onto a chandelier.
“Come here!” the stagehand calls. The electricians are there too. One of them screams, “Simon, I am in charge of the lighting. You cannot swing from the chandelier; just jump down! I will catch you!” I don’t want to jump into the arms of the electrician. I climb higher and perch between two spotlights.
I hear yelling from the stagehands: “Simon, we can see you! You cannot hide from us!” “We’re getting nowhere,” says the stage manager. “Call the leading lady; it’s her cat. Maybe she can get him to come down.”
My leading lady speaks softly: “Simon, please come down. I will hold you and kiss your head just the way you like it. Oh, then you can watch the show.” She sings to me: “When you’re feeling all alone, I’ll be here. If you’re out all on your own, I’ll be here. No matter how far you wander, no matter how far you roam, just remember I will always be around when you want to come back home.”
It’s fun to travel for a while, but sometimes it’s so lonely unless there’s someone by your side. So when you feel sad and blue, I’ll be here. Don’t forget, I’ll come through. I’ll be here.
[Applause]
I relax. I want to be close to the beautiful sounds, so I climb down carefully. My leading lady keeps her promise; she kisses my face and gives me a special seat in the wings. She says, “Do not move from this chair. I expect to find you here at the end of the show.”
The orchestra tunes up, cast members take their positions, and the show goes on. But during the third scene, an unwanted character runs across the stage. I can be a star too! Yes, I love you; you’re too kind.
After the show, we both sign autographs at the stage door.
[Applause]
If you don’t have books, then what are you waiting for? Kids Safe has storybooks that are brought to life, and it’s fun! I like to read books about fantasy and love. I tell other kids to get books because they’re full of stories and laughter. I’ll read it on the go—in a car, in a plane, even in a train. I’ve never been on a train. Don’t wait around; ask your guardian to download books now. You’ll be glad you did!
Thanks for watching! For more stories, try the Vooks app for free today.
[Music]
—
This version removes any inappropriate or unclear content while maintaining the essence of the original transcript.
