Review: CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM THE MUSICAL at Reynolds Performance Hall in Conway

There is something incredibly special about sitting in a theatre packed with children watching a show created just for them. The buzz of excitement, the spontaneous laughter, the pointing fingers, and the wide-eyed wonder create an atmosphere unlike any other performance. Bringing a beloved book to life onstage feels nothing short of magical, and at Reynolds Performance Hall in Conway on March 2, CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM: THE MUSICAL did exactly that. The young audience didn’t just watch, they participated wholeheartedly, responding to the interactive moments with enthusiasm and delight, clearly having the time of their lives.

Presented as part of Reynolds’ Mainstage series, which is dedicated to making high-quality educational theatre accessible to school children across Arkansas, this production transformed Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault’s iconic alphabet book into a vibrant theatrical adventure. The simple premise — letters racing to climb a coconut tree — became a lively journey filled with music, movement, and playful storytelling that kept even the youngest viewers (and a few of the older viewers) completely engaged.

Energy radiated from the cast from start to finish. Their choreography was constant and joyful with them climbing, spinning, tumbling, and bouncing in ways that perfectly mirrored the rhythmic language of the original text. Physical comedy landed especially well with the children,and the expressive delivery allowed the educational aspects of the story (letter recognition, sounds, and sequencing) to come through naturally without ever feeling instructional. The score was upbeat and perfectly tailored for young ears, so much so that many of the children could be seen swaying, clapping, or quietly singing along, completely absorbed in the experience.

Perhaps the most touching element of the performance was witnessing the shared joy between stage and audience. Everyone was having a great time, and for many of these students, this may have been their very first live performance.

"We love taking our Morrilton Primary k-1 students to performances at Reynolds because of the quality of the productions!" Morrilton Primary Principal Sharon Wilson said. "They make children’s literature come alive for our students! An added benefit is that it’s so close to the SCCSD, we can easily attend and get back to school to finish a day of learning!"

The Mainstage series is a favorite for Amanda Horton, Director of Reynolds Performance Hall, and she appreciates the support from the community.

"I want to begin by thanking our sponsors, and they include Conway Corps, Partners Bank, the Toadsuck Daze, Snap-on, Centennial Bank, First Service Bank, Nabholz, Conway Kiwanis Club, and many more. We could not do this without our sponsors," Horton said. "Also, there is a huge group of people that are so important to all of you that you need to thank, and that is your teachers and parents for bringing you here today. Thank you, teachers, and thank you parents for making this a priority for these children, and you introducing them to arts at such a young age. We appreciate you."

After the show, we were thrilled to interview Kindergartener Cypress to see how she enjoyed the show. 

BWW: Cypress, how did you like the show?

Cypress: It was good.

BWW: What did you like about it?

Cypress:  I like the music. 

BWW: Yeah? Did you like the the hoedown music? 

Cypress: Yeah.

 BWW: What else did you like? 

Cypress: I liked the letters falling down from the tree. 

BWW: That was so crazy, wasn't it? That was a lot of letters climbing that tree. 

Cypress: Yeah.

BWW: Whose idea was that?

Cypress: It was the letter A.

BWW: It was, wasn't it? What else did you like about the show?

Cypress: When Zee was sad. 

BWW: That was so sad. Did you cry?

Cypress: No.

BWW: Well good. Me neither. So do you think you'd like to come to other shows like this?

Cypress: Yes. Uh-huh. I like it here.

BWW: Me too. Well Cypress, thank you for talking with me. 

The Main Stage Education program has served over 75,000 students since the program started in 2015! Help Reynolds keep bringing children to the University of Central Arkansas campus by giving to their Main Stage Education Endowment Fund for UCA Day of Giving March 12 or give now at uca.edu/go/DOGreynolds. 

Coming up next for the Main Stage series is PETE THE CAT on March 19. The 10am performance is sold out, but there are still tickets available for the noon show and the 6pm evening show. Check out their website at uca.edu/publicappearances for more information.