REVIEW: Piwacket Theatre for Children Continue Season with JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

Piwacket Theatre for Children takes a stab at a classic English fairytale with their production of Jack and the Beanstalk. As always, this is a pleasant, tune-filled presentation aimed at little ones, that teaches them a valuable lesson along the way. Founders Scott Sears, Edie Avioli and Charlotte Dougherty have crafted another amusing take on a childhood favorite.

Jeremiah is a bored little boy looking for something to do. His friend is sick at home, so he's stranded without a play partner for the day. The appearance of a magical fairy changes his outlook as she introduces him to the fun of reading. To prove her point, she has him start reading Jack and the Beanstalk, and he not only gets taken with the story, but he also winds up participating in it as well. Soon, Jeremiah finds himself playing the role of Jack, and being told by his father that he needs to take his prized cow to market to exchange for food. He heads off with the best of intentions, but he's derailed by someone (our magical fairy) offering him some "magic beans" in trade. The rest of the tale follows, and Jeremiah learns the value of getting "lost" in a good book.

Justin Ivan Brown is terrific as Jeremiah/Jack. Brown is a relative new face on the scene, and he's really making a name for himself with his consistently engaging work. Here he manages to effectively convey the feelings and attitudes of a young boy. Edie Avioli is her usual bundle of barely restrained energy as the magical fairy who takes him on his journey (I'm thinking her name was Wanda, but they don't issue programs for these productions). Scott Sears is also good as Jack's dad, and the singing harp Jack finds in the Giant's castle. All three contribute vocally as well, although this time out pre-recorded backing tracks are eschewed for a more playful, rhythmic approach to the music.

Scott Sears, Edie Avioli, and Charlotte Dougherty have put together a cute, fast-paced show. And Piwacket appears to be reaching their target audience. I know that my four year old son Zach attended the show on his birthday, and despite all the hoopla he encountered on his special day, he's still talking about the show. And, that's a hearty endorsement if I ever heard one.

Jack and the Beanstalk plays Thursday, November 12th and 19th at 10:30am, and on Saturday, November 14th at 11am. All performances take place at the Black Cat Theatre in Maplewood, Mo

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