Storybook Theatre has been at it
for 25 years now, entertaining kids 3-9 with interactive musicals and, if this
show is any example, it’s the adults who get the real treat. Just sitting among wonder-eyed children and
see their reactions, their amazement, their absorption, their innocent
pleasure, is not to be missed. It’s
truly magical storytelling because, at this Circus, the children are the show.
The
challenge is how to create a circus in a tiny box of a theatre and – wonder of
wonders – they do it. As the children
eagerly rise up, volunteer, rush onstage to join the circus, the acrobats, lions,
tigers, giraffes, bears, monkeys, all come to life. For comic relief there’s a shifty soda-man pushing
spinach-ade (yech!), and a spoiler in the crowd who gets her comeuppance, but
in the end all learn to celebrate life.
Actors Anne
Leyden (Ringmaster), Melanie Wahla (clown), and Heather Keller (animal tamer),
are charmers, and understudy Lukas Bailey is fabulous as nasty Mr. Grimble and
nastier Ms. Notfun. Delightful book, lyrics
and direction are by Lloyd J. Schwartz, with music by Brian Feinstein. Produced by Barbara Mallory with choreography
by Paul Denniston.
At Theatre
West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd.
Los Angeles, Saturdays 1 p.m.
through July 6. Information: (818)
761-2203 or www.theatrewest.org
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