KCMETROPOLIS.org
Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

"Have any of you read this book?" asks Mia the mouse, holding up "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown.
I hear a chorus of small voices yelling, "Yes!"
"Did you like it?"
"Yes!"
"Well that's why Chad Henry made it into a play."

Henry's adaptation of the classic children's book is being performed for the first time in this area. It was first produced at Manhattan Children's Theatre in New York in 2007. Now, the show is being performed by Theatre for Young America (TYA) at the H&R Block City Stage in Union Station. The show is directed by Valerie Mackey.

"Goodnight Moon", as well as being entertaining, encourages children to read. This is one of the major goals of TYA and is reflected in their productions.

The book shows a little bunny saying goodnight to everything in his room, in order to avoid actually going to bed. The play keeps the story intact, but does much more. Each item in his room is actually keeping him awake. The bears in chairs sing and dance. The cow attempts to jump over the moon, more than once. Even the bunny's red balloon taunts him. How on earth could anyone sleep?

"It's that classic conflict between them [the characters] and their environment." Says Gene Mackey, artistic director of TYA. What makes the play so interesting is that the little bunny really tries to sleep, but we know something will always come along to coax him out of bed.

Brianne Bongiovanni was the scenic designer, and the set looked very much like the big green bedroom from the book. It was reproduced down to the little details, like the mittens hanging in the corner, and the red balloon over the bedside table.

The lighting, designed by Patrick Inlow, was really very clever and fun. For example, we always knew when the cow would attempt to jump over the moon from the roaming spotlights. There were star lights, and subtle changes to indicate the night was wearing on. The bedside lamp had a mind of its own and teased the little bunny, which got a huge laugh from the audience.

Props and costumes were done by Sheryl Bryant and Valerie Mackey. They were functional, with occasional fun pieces, like the dish and spoon jacket that kept "running away" or the silly Tooth Fairy getup, which was worth the price of admission all by itself. The props, like the set, very closely imitated the book.

Evan Lovelace played the Bunny with enthusiasm and energy. When the bears in chairs come out, he does a rather spectacular tap dance. He was an excellent choice for the main character because of his liveliness.

Mia Hedgpeth-Guerra was the Mouse who was the Bunny's main ally in avoiding bedtime. She also played the ringleader cat that introduced the cow's attempts to jump over the moon. Mia was very accessible, and had a child-like quality that the kids in the audience could relate to.

The old lady and Clarabelle the Cow were both played by Teri Adams. As Clarabelle, Adams was delightfully peevish, and very funny. As the old lady, she found the appropriate balance between irritation that her child was out of bed yet again, and love for her little bunny.

Eric Johansen played the Moon, the balloon, the dish, the spoon, the Tooth Fairy, etc. With each of the bit parts he did wonderfully entertaining things. From his mischievous balloon,  and his telephone "operator" voice to his "dish running away with the spoon" bit, he was always one to watch. The Tooth Fairy song was definitely a highlight for me.

One small criticism I would offer concerns sound. Although the actors all had lovely singing voices, I had difficulty hearing them on a few of the songs. Perhaps it was the acoustics of the theatre, but a hanging microphone might be a good investment, especially during the quiet moments.

Overall, the show was often rowdy, occasionally random, very silly, and enormously entertaining. This show is appropriate for kids ages 1 to 101. Tickets are available until October 31^st.

REVIEW
Theatre for Young America
Goodnight Moon
Adapted from book by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd
Book, Music and Lyrics by Chad Henry
Runs October 13th through 31st, 2009
The H&R Block City Stage
Union Station, 30 W Pershing Rd, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-460-2083 or online at www.tya.org


Top Photo: Cast members Teri Adams and Evan Lovelace