At 8 p.m. Friday, and 2 p.m. Saturday, students in the ARTE program will put on Disney’s The Aristocats KIDA and Roald Dahl’s Matilda Jr. The Musical at Struthers Library Theatre.

“This semester marks our third annual Junior Musical and it’s had such a positive impact on our students,” said Eric Morelli, artistic director. “The development of creativity, communication skills, and confidence mixes with the excitement of a full-scale production and the addition of a KIDS production allows those benefits to trickle down to our younger students, as well.”

The show is set in Paris, where an eccentric millionaire leaves her inheritance to her cat Duchess, and three kittens. The woman’s butler abandons the cats in the countryside in order to inherit the fortune himself. They stumble upon Thomas O’Malley, an alley cat, who is willing to help them return to their home in Paris. They meet several characters along the way featuring jazzy group numbers from the Disney score.

Matilda Jr. The Musical is the story of a girl who dreams of a better life as children end up teaching the grown-ups in the musical a lesson.

Photo submitted to Times Observer The Allegheny Regional Theatre Experience cast of The Aristocats KIDS is ready for its performances Friday and Saturday at Struthers Library Theatre.

“Matilda is one of my favorite shows,” Sydney Johnson (Mrs. Phelps) said. “I saw it when I was younger, and it’s one of those shows I’ve always wanted to be in.”

“I love the soundtrack, I’m excited to be on stage and hear all the music, and see everything come together,” Jadeite Fofana (Agatha Trunchbull) said.

Tickets are available at the box office or through www.strutherslibrarytheatre.org.