A lovable pigeon searches for his life’s purpose in South Carolina’s “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!”

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The show, based on a popular children’s book by Mo Willems, opens Sept. 23 for a three-week run on the South Carolina Children’s Theatre’s MainStage.

“This is a fast-paced super-fun musical all about discovering our dreams and helping each other find what makes us happiest,” said stage director Connor Vetter.

The pigeon of the title is uncertain about what he wants out of life, but a kindly bus driver and his passengers help to point him in the right direction.

With its mix of actors, puppets, songs and feathers, the season-opening show is guaranteed to get everyone’s wings flapping, Vetter said.

“It is laugh-out-loud funny,” Vetter said. “The puppetry work is absolutely stunning. At the end, kids and adults will be laughing their way out the theater.”

On the way to finding his purpose, the pigeon decides he might make a good bus driver. The bus passengers, however, beg to differ — thus, the title of the musical.

With a running time of about 45-50 minutes, the show is intended for ages K5-third grade, but parents will enjoy it as well, Vetter said.

Hand puppets, created by S.C. Children’s Theatre stalwart Ryan Bradburn, are prominently featured in the musical.

The show spotlights two different casts, with seven performers in each group. Vetter’s staging will be performed 22 times, including eight school performances.

As is often the case with S.C. Children’s Theatre productions, the casts feature a mix of children and adult actors.

The creative team for this production has a strong connection to Wofford College. Vetter is a 2014 graduate of Wofford. Music director Rachel Johnson is a current Wofford student, and lighting designer Joanna Burgess graduated in May from the college. Other backstage crew have connections to Wofford as well. In addition, the theater’s artistic director Matt Giles and new managing director Katie O’Kelly are Wofford graduates.

Vetter is a director, actor and teaching artist from Spartanburg. She teaches at Spartanburg Youth Theatre and the Boys and Girls Club of the Upstate.

She has directed for the theater’s second stage, but “Pigeon” marks her first MainStage show.

“It has been absolutely phenomenal, one of my best theatrical experiences,” Vetter said. “The kids are so talented. They’re going to blow Greenville’s socks off.”

What: “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!”

Where: South Carolina Children’s Theatre, 153 Augusta St. in Greenville

Info: 864-235-2885 or scchildrenstheatre.org

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