By Marilyn Jozwik
First Stage’s “Adventures with the Three Little Pigs” sneaks in so many learning opportunities for youngsters. Yet, the unsuspecting youngsters are having so much fun they don’t even know it!
The show, directed by Julia Magnasco and presented virtually through May 30, features three young adult performers (Coltyn Giltner, Kim Hardtke and Brinn Hill) who engage their young audience throughout. J.T. Backes is technical director for the show while Magnasco also wrote the adaptation.
To preview the well-known children’s tale, the trio, clad in overalls with a pastoral backdrop, give the kids some lessons in finance as they mime peddlers selling their wares – mittens, a basketball, roller skates. The kids count out the money along with the “onstage” buyer, who encourages their audience to try out their new wares together.
It’s all a bit of a warmup to the “Three Little Pigs” story, which features peddlers selling the pigs straw, sticks and, finally, bricks, to build their houses. The children are introduced to the villainous wolf and learn what a peddler and a villain are, the latter introduced with ominous music and actions the kids can use to represent the villain, such as stroking a beard or using an evil laugh.
With some fun catchy tunes, the kids can join in as the pigs skip, stomp and hop down the path. There are other fun activities as the young audience joins in to try to blow the pigs’ houses down or pantomime how they would look if they were upset, exhausted or scared.
Before the wolf gets his comeuppance, he tries to lure the pig who built the sturdy brick house to a turnip patch, an apple orchard and a fair. Each time, the pig outsmarts the wolf with some good timing (the kids get to learn about time here) and trickery.
The performers are expressive and thoroughly engaged in the story, which keeps kids busy throughout.
First Stage also offers a Show Experience Kit to help youngsters tell the story at home with cut out characters, props and scenery they can color; piggie and wolf ears and piggie money they can cut out and wear; and simple songs they can learn.
Go to www.firststage.org for tickets to the online show and for more information.