The Southern theater department, with the collaboration of the Show-Me Celebration company, is preparing to put on its winter production Dec. 3-4. The production, Another Mother Goose Mystery: Old King Cole’s Missing His Bowl, is a children’s play that features a number of characters from the classic Mother Goose nursery rhymes.

The play was written and directed by Lyndall Burrow and features a cast of seven Southern students, ranging all the way from freshman to senior status. Allison Dodge, a freshman theater major, was cast in the role of The Mouse.

“It’s [about] a lot of fairytale characters who are on a quest to find King Cole’s miss- ing bowl and all the missing sheep,” Dodge said. “It’s been a super amazing experience. I was nervous about doing my first show here, but everyone has been so welcoming.”

Dodge is one of two freshman performers in the cast. Luke Bobbett, who potrays Little Jack Homer, is a freshman history education major. Seniors Cameron Lopez, Sydney Holtzman, and Chelsea Skaggs, junior Jamie Strong, and sophomore Kel- by Pollock comprise the rest of the cast.

“I absolutely love this cast,” Dodge said. They have been so welcoming to Luke and I.

They work so hard and we’ve become really close.” Director and playwright Burrow, better known as Lyle, acts as the assistant technical director for Southern theater, a position he has held for 26 years.

Burrow and the cast put the show together in the span of four weeks, and have been performing for local schools.

“He’s been so helpful and he’s extremely great to work with,” said Dodge of Burrow.

“He’s also the playwright, and I think he did a great job.”

The show is set to run Dec. 3-4 at 2:30 p.m. in Taylor Performing Arts Center at Southern.

Tickets can be purchased at the building’s box office up until 3 p.m. on Dec. 2, with a rate of $3 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under.