The two pre-schoolers in my house adore the picture book 'Goodnight Moon.' Clement Hurd's cozy, crayon-colored illustrations, with a hint of faux-primitivism in the style, and Margaret Wise Brown's gentle, sing-songy words resonate with perceptive, if still forming, imaginations.
Parents find the 1940s tale of Bunny resisting sleep in his Great Green Room comforting, too, for its sweet earnestness — such a relief from the invasive Disney juggernaut, where every product seems focus-grouped to drive young consumers to maximum distraction.
So when our 4-year-old went to Chad Henry's 2006 musical adaptation of 'Goodnight Moon' — oh joy! — at the Alliance Theatre, the stage magic seemed to boggle the senses. The flying red balloon and talking appliances, the gags about getting one more a sip of water, the cow in the painting who actually tries to jump over the moon, and every other page of the story are brought to vivid, and often hyperactive, life.
Rosemary Newcott's direction, in fact, has the opposite effect of the book. In striped pajamas, his cotton tail peeping out the back, Little Bunny (Derek Manson) and his pink-pajama'd pal Mouse (Sharon Litzky) apparently downed a couple of Red Bulls after dinner. They're clearly on a sugar and caffeine high — and that did nothing to help Litzky sing in tune.
Children's tastes aside, Chad Henry's songs — snatches of honky-tonk and boogie-woogie and pop ballads — are mostly forgettable and offer few insights into the story.
The Old Lady who whispers hush (Amber Iman) gets a good turn with the title song. Yet 'Hey Diddle Diddle,' trotted out three times, had visual gags in place but became a chore to hear.
Tellingly, the best number in the show is 'Bears with Chairs,' with a driving rhythm and comic, razzle-dazzle choreography, and at the performance we attended it drew by far the most laughs and cheers from the kids in the audience, proving once again that children can be easily distracted but they know quality like everyone else.
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