A boy wanders out of the audience and walks onto the theater stage.

He sees a box with a red- and white-striped hat on it, and wonders aloud about it in Dr. Seuss rhyme.

The Cat in the Hat emerges from the box, via a hidden elevator, opening "Seussical the Musical," which completed an eight-show run Sunday in Pittsburgh.

For four of the touring production's eight weekly shows, the boy, JoJo, is played by Shadoe Brandt, a 11-year-old from Connoquenessing Township, Butler County.

Shadoe and Luis Villabon, who also has a role in the musical, talked about the play and their careers Friday to third-graders at Luther Low Elementary School, West Middlesex.

Shadoe's friend, Amaris Wilson -- whose mother, Sharon Dodds, is friends with Shadoe's mother, Debbi Ruth -- is a third-grader at the school.

Shadoe started with the show 15 weeks ago. Villabon, 32, has been with the show since it started rehearsals Aug. 13.

The tour closes at the end of June.

Cathy Rigby, the former gymnast best known in theater for starring in "Peter Pan," plays the Cat in the Hat.

Villabon, who lives in New York and Los Angeles, plays one of the Wickersham brothers, who taunt Horton in "Horton Hears a Who." Seventeen Seuss stories find their ways into "Seussical the Musical."

The play emanates from JoJo's imagination, and he learns to fly. Shadoe gets a solo song and a duet.

Shadoe has a recurring role as Sam Grey on the ABC soap opera "All My Children," previously toured as Little Jake in "Annie Get Your Gun," and played Tiny Tim in a production of "A Christmas Carol" that was staged at Madison Square Garden, New York.

Villabon's resumé includes roles in "West Side Story," "Annie," "Sweeney Todd" and "Godspell," and in the Dana Carvey film "Master of Disguise."

Here are responses to questions asked by Luther Low students:

Can the audience hear the elevator?

Villabon: "Not really because there's music and it's (elevator) pretty quiet."

What happens if the elevator gets stuck?

It did once, and Ms. Rigby simply stepped out of the box. "That's one of the great things about live theater -- you just go with the flow," Villabon said.

Are you scared to fly?

Shadoe: "Not really. It was really fun from the first day." Shadoe's wire broke once, but he was off-stage and unhurt.

Did you ever have problems flying?

Shadoe: "One time, when I was supposed to be flying, my wire didn't go up, so I had to pretend I was flying."

What do you do about school?

Shadoe: "I am home-schooled on a computer. Other kids, there is a tutor that travels with them. Their schools send out their books and they learn from books." Shadoe said he gets to go on field trips organized by the tutor.

Are you nervous when you go on stage?

Shadoe: "Not me."

Villabon: "At first I was nervous, when I was doing school plays. After a while, the nervousness becomes excitement."

Have you ever forgotten lines?

Shadoe: "I've been a little late a few times or the first speech becomes a tongue twister and I've kind of messed up, but I've never forgotten a line."

What made you want to be an actor?

Shadoe: "I've always wanted to be an actor." He won a talent show and one of the judges became his agent.

An avid, early television watcher, Villabon said, "I always knew I wanted to do what the people in that box were doing."

Do you use a different voice in the show?

Villabon: "I kind of play a school-yard bully. Since I play a mean guy, I have a rougher voice."

Do you ever get to see your parents?

Shadoe: His mother travels with him, and he sees his father when he can.

Villabon: "Whenever I get a break, I see my mom and dad. I usually see them once every three or four months. Sometimes, I go six months without seeing them."

Do you make a lot of money?

Villabon: "I make more than someone who is a waiter but not as much as a movie star. I definitely don't do it for the money because you don't know where the next job is coming from."