BWW Reviews: CATCO Is Kids' SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE, JR. Proves 'Old School' Is Still Way Cool

Remember when the best part of your week was a bowl of Cocoa Puffs and Saturday morning cartoons? CATCO Is Kids' production of "Schoolhouse Rock Live, Jr." is an energy packed, fun-filled trip down Nostalgia Road that parents will adore, and children will find equally delightful. The educational messages set to catchy tunes that stuck in the heads of their original audience are just as enticing to the younger generation, who also don't mind being schooled, as long as it's disguised in entertainment.

CATCO Is Kids' veteran, Gilbert "Buddy" Frontz, stars as Tom, a newly hired teacher who is struggling to figure out how to engage his students. The rest of the ensemble cast includes 34 local children, aged 8-18, who deliver some of the most memorable selections from the ABC-aired animated shorts, including, "Great American Melting Pot", "Interjections", and "Elbow Room" with so much enthusiasm and excitement that you can't help but sing along. I honestly can't say that I've ever seen an all-child cast as exceptionally and universally talented on any local stage- this ensemble is thoroughly impressive. I generally find myself picking favorites when watching ensembles, and truly, there were so many really good soloists in this cast that I was truly unable to do so.

The choreography, by Assistant Director Liz Wheeler is simple, but executed with pizzazz, and a blast to watch. The kids have polished the moves to the point of flawless timing and are masterfully in unison, despite a huge age/experience range in such a large group. Particularly fun are numbers such as, "Do The Circulation"- with the cast dancing in the aisles- and the hula-hooping "Interplanet Janet". Musical numbers are vocally beautiful, and true to the original songs. The sold-out crowd leaving the theater was humming the songs, and the unanimous regret was that the 45 minute long show was over way too soon.

The talent caliber here is off-the-charts, and so encouraging for the future of local Columbus theater. Directors Joe Bishara and Liz Wheeler should be very proud, as whatever is in the water down at the Davis Performing Arts Center is pure magic. If it were entertainment alone, it would be well-worth the steal of a $5/ticket admission cost, but you may just find yourself shocked by your 5 year old who can now recite the Preamble of the Constitution. Just thank CATCO.

CATCO is Kids production of "Schoolhouse Rock Live, Jr." runs at the Davis Performing Arts Center at 549 Franklin Avenue, Saturday, April 6^th at 2:30pm, Sunday, April 7^th at 2:30pm, Friday, April 12^th at 7:30pm, Saturday, April 13^th at 2:30pm, and Sunday, April 14^th at 2:30pm. Visit: http://catco.org/catco-is-kids/2012-2013/school-house-rock-live for ticket information.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Generation Photography

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