PREVIEW: Elephant and Piggie are in a Play!
03/28 & 03/29 @ Cohoes Music Hall
**This article originally appeared in our March 2026 issue**
“Will there be an umbrella? Will there be a map? Will Pigeon be there?”
Unless you’re a parent of young children, the name Mo Willems might not mean much to you. But to those of us teaching and encouraging our children to read, Mo is pretty much everything.
His career began in the early ‘90s, writing and animating for Sesame Street before he made the leap into writing children’s books. Since his first one in 2003 (the ever-popular Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus), he has written nearly 100 books, reached New York Times bestseller status, and has been awarded numerous Caldecott and Theodor Seuss Geisel Awards for his work.
But it’s Elephant and Piggie that is making the leap to the theatre in March — Cohoes Music Hall on March 28 and 29, to be exact. Another renowned series for kids, each story is a micro-adventure featuring these two best friends — Gerald and Piggie — with different personalities. The stories are told conversationally, speech bubbles and all, allowing parents and kids to each adopt a role while reading together. Bonus points for creating goofy voices in the process, naturally. They’re silly. They’re lively. They’re easy to digest. Simply put, they’re perfect for elementary school kids, and the upcoming Elephant & Piggie “We Are In A Play!” show is sure to be the same.
Actually, with that in mind… am I really the one who should be writing this article? Sure, I’ve read most of the books at this point, but wouldn’t this be better told through the lens of a child? I’m glad you agree. I’m going to have my eight-year-old daughter take it from here. I’ve asked her to write her own Elephant and Piggie story, imagining their conversation as they decide to embark on presenting a play. Let’s begin.
***
One day, Gerald and Piggie were sitting by their favorite rock, resting peacefully.
Piggie: What a nice day. Nothing could be better than thi– GERALD!
Gerald: Wha!
P: We should put on a play!
G: That’s a great idea!
P: We’ll play at Cohoes Music Hall!
G: Where the heck is that?
P: We’ll have lights, a-and props… Gerald! We might become famous!
G: I never thought I would be famous!
P: Will there be an umbrella? Will there be a map? Will Pigeon be there?
G: Maybe, maybe, ma– wait, who’s Pigeon?
P: Oh, he’s hidden at the end of all of our books.
G: WE’RE TRAPPED IN A BOOK?!?
P: …this is a discussion for another time.
G: …
P: Annnyyyyywaaayyyy… Please come to our play, we’d love it!
G: Byeeeeee!
For tickets and more information, visit www.thecohoesmusichall.org
