By Marilyn Jozwik
First Stage’s “Arthur & Friends Make a Musical!” has the usual kid-friendly elements – an engaging mostly kid cast, upbeat music, plenty of silliness and a fun story. Khalia Davis is director and choreographer.
Along the way, there are a few very adult points made by the youngsters, giving the grown-ups in the audience something to think about and the kids maybe something to learn more about. There is also the unmistakable theme that our hero projects – just be yourself.
The story centers around Arthur (Vivian Madson), a third-grader in Mr. Ratburn’s (James Carrington) class. The class is tasked with putting on a musical and Arthur and his friends set out on different paths in their creations. Mr. Ratburn tells his charges to “put your heart into it,” in a snappy song, one of many bouncy, hummable pieces in the show. Arthur worries that his ordinary story about him and his dog does not compare with the flashier projects of his classmates. Arthur’s parents (SaraLynn Evenson and Zach Thomas Woods) convince Arthur that he is “Undeniable” in song and doesn’t need to be something he isn’t.
Arthur (Vivian Madson), center, discusses the class projects with his friends, from left, Brain (Charlie Cornell), Muffy (Silver Anderson), Buster (Ryon Davis) and Francine (Alice Rivera) in a scene from First Stage’s “Arthur & Friends Make a Musical!”
In the final scenes, Arthur and his classmates present their projects in some energetic, clever skits that the young audience appeared to enjoy.
Madson is as comfortable in the Arthur role as the cozy yellow sweater she wears. Her Arthur is unpretentious and likeable, and Madson engages wonderfully with the audience, as do all the characters in the intimate First Stage space. The young audience loved her animated re-enactment of Arthur’s alternate musical choice, a space adventure featuring the planet of Schmelephant complete with colorful storyboards, which drew lots of laughs.
All the youngsters in the Elwood cast were wonderful, totally prepared and energetic for the Saturday afternoon show we saw. As Arthur’s sister, D.W., Gia Love Deacon gets excited about extra-terrestrials and teases her “boring” brother in an offhanded way sure to resonate with anyone with siblings.
Arthur (Vivian Madson) talks to his sister D.W. (Gia Love Deacon) in a scene from First Stage’s “Arthur & Friends Make a Musical!”
Arthur’s classmates have unique personalities and display their interests in clever scenes with the whole cast. Alice Rivera as Francine is passionate about building a better world – especially for women -- questioning the fact that her town had “all boy mayors” and presenting a “Hamilton”-esque vignette on Anna Strong, a Revolutionary War spy. Buster (Ryon Davis) loves mysteries and his project features detective Ulysses Napoleon Baggypants (Woods), in clownish oversized pants. The number had a rousing big musical feel and the kids loved Woods antics.
Muffy (Silver Anderson) has such fun as the fashionista in the bunch and her scenes of costumes are a kaleidoscope of color, while Charlie Cornell as Brain affects a professorial tone as he waxes eloquent.
Mr. Ratburn (James Carrington) gets his class fired about their musical project with a rousing song in a scene from First Stage’s “Arthur & Friends Make a Musical!”
The adults (Carrington, Evenson and Woods) in the cast keep the same kind of energy and joy of performing as the youngsters. The young audience really enjoyed Carrington as the teacher, Mr. Ratburn, who could take a line and turn it into a laugh, like when the teacher discusses topics for the class musical: “It could be about … cake!” Just the right pause brought ripples of laughter.
The whole cast did a marvelous job with Davis’ choreography, which was totally in sync and snappy, and even had a few youngsters in the audience mimicking the hand gestures.
The show is fast-paced with lots of movement, some bouncy, rocking music and captivating performances to keep young and old audiences entertained. And maybe even learn a thing or two!
If you go
Who: First Stage
What: “Arthur & Friends Make a Musical!”
When: Through Nov. 6
Where: The Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater, 929 N. Water Street, Milwaukee
Info/Tickets: firststage.org; (414) 267-2961