Nobody walks across the stage in “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse” at the Shwayder Theatre.
They skip, twirl, arabesque or zoom on bikes, a constant flurry of whiskered motion. “Lilly’s” world being one made up of mice, they naturally have a lot to say about cheese.
Between the lines, and delicately, they have more to say about family, friends, respect for teachers, standing up to bullies, learning forgiveness and even the gradual acceptance of annoying baby brothers.
The popular Kevin Henkes book, adapted by Kevin Kling, is given energetic life under the direction of Billie McBride in the Denver Children’s
Theatre offering, which has public performances every Sunday through May 7.
Those lucky enough to attend weekday performances (mostly school kids by the busload) enjoy Karen Slack as Lilly. It’s a thoroughly disarming display of wonderful gawkiness, moodiness and braggadoccio as the self-proclaimed “queen of the world” wriggles in the outsized Uncooperative Chair, torments her baby brother Julius (“germ of the world”) or makes her famous star-spangled boots go clickety-clack.
Sunday’s public performances feature Trina Magness, an accomplished actress in her own right, in the title role.
The cast of Denver all-stars for any ages includes Scott Rathbun, Josh Hartwell, Patrick Elkins-Zeglarski, Mare Trevathan and Elgin Kelley.
The clever incorporation of a video screen in Lilly’s classroom “light-bulb lab,” where the industrious mice color and draw, gives the audience a multimedia view of the artworks taking shape.
Best appreciated by the under-8 crowd, “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse” is a sweet, gentle introductory hour of theater that one morning this week held rapt a full house of potential squirmers.
It is perhaps inevitable but not overstating things to defer to Henkes’ words for a final assessment: “Wow, that’s about all I could say. Wow.”
Also for kids, “Alexander, Who’s Not Not Not Not Not Not Going to Move” (not reviewed) continues its run through May 5 at the Arvada Center. The book and lyrics by Judith Viorst concern a little boy whose father has accepted a new job in a faraway city and who digs in his heels at the idea of uprooting.
Staff writer Joanne Ostrow can be reached at 303-820-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com.
“Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse”
CHILDREN’S THEATER|Denver Children’s Theatre|At the Shwayder Theatre in the Mizel Center, 350 S. Dahlia St. |THROUGH MAY 7|Public performances 1 p.m. Sundays (except April 16)|Recommended for ages 3-8 (children’s shows are not given star ratings)|$6-$8| 303-316-6360
“Alexander, Who’s Not Not Not Not Not Not Going to Move”
CHILDREN’S MUSICAL|Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd.|THROUGH MAY 5|10 a.m. and noon weekdays; 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. the next two Saturdays| $7-$8|720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org (not reviewed).
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“A CHORUS LINE” Broadway’s homage to the dancer is, what, 31? That’s older than all but one of the impossibly young ensemble of 24 people now bringing a high step and a doe-eyed innocence to the Littleton Town Hall Arts Center’s intensely personal, sweaty production.
Broadway’s anti-musical musical spectacular is free of sentimentality and glitz. It takes place at an intense dance audition where an inappropriately invasive director seems more interested in drawing out the secret fears and shames building inside these showbiz wannabes than he is in their actual abilities.
It is their confessions that make “A Chorus Line” so intimate (and Pulitzer Prize worthy), but it is the seemingly never-ending dance routines that make it so revelatory of life on the stage.
THAC’s production, directed by the great Michael Gorman, is marked by any number of brave and revealing performances, most notably from Adrianne Hampton and Kent Randell, but this staging will be remembered for its sheer authenticity- the kind that comes only with such shockingly age-appropriate casting.
Much is asked of this group of talented young neophytes, but sorry, that’s the game here. Anything less – or anyone older – would seem disingenuous. Final performances 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday at 2450 W. Main St. Tickets $20-$32 (303-794-2787).
“THE DEADLY GAME” The Victorian Theatre presents this psychological thriller about a wealthy American businessman whose car goes into a snow bank in the Alps. He finds refuge with an elderly judge who enlists his friends in a rather unusual party game. 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 6 p.m. Sundays through April 22 at 4201 Hooker St. Tickets $18-$20 (303-433-4343).
-John Moore
