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September 29, 2011 | Page 13
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Mercy! Kids go hog wild over CTC’s ‘Mercy Watson to the Rescue’ BY BARBARA TIEBEN btieben@swpub.com
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s a grandmother of home-schooled children, I love to dive into their world of children’s literature. The past several years we’ve immersed ourselves in the world of read-aloud, and now, as my grandsons get older, they are becoming young readers. And what a perfect fit for the new reader is Kate DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson series. The title character, “porcine wonder” Mercy Watson, is wellloved by Mr. and Mrs. Watson, who’ve welcomed this sweet piggy into their home and hearts. They spoil her with treats, most especially toast “with a great deal of butter.” But Mercy is far from a passive pig. She has adventures! Granted, her adventures are usually the result of her constant search for toast and butter cookies, but somehow, over and over, Mercy finds herself the accidental hero. So it was a treat to take my grandsons, ages 4 and 6, to see their friend Mercy on the stage at Children’s Theatre. They were anxious to see their hero save the day. And they were not disappointed. As delightful as the drawings in DiCamillo’s books, the set was cartoony and colorful, the perfect backdrop for the antics the characters. Silliness and suspense reigned as Mercy, played by Sara Richardson, saved Mr. and Mrs. Watson when their second-floor bedroom collapsed into the kitchen. The audience rocked with laughter as the Watson’s cranky neighbor Eugenia Lincoln, played by veteran Twin Cities actress Wendy Lehr, chased Mercy around the yard. There was even a little Minnesota State Fair humor. Can you guess what was carved in the butter head? Mr. and Mrs. Watson, played by Mo Perry and Gerald Drake, were delightfully supportive of their
‘Mercy Watson to the Rescue’ Based on the bestselling books by Kate DiCamillo. Mr. and Mrs. Watson think that 54 Deckawoo Drive will be the perfect home for their family, especially their beloved Mercy. But when Eugenia Lincoln gets wind that her new neighbor is a P-I-G, Eugenia stirs up trouble of the most hilarious sort. Time: Evening and matinee showtimes through Oct. 23 Cost: Adults $33.50-$43.50; children/teens/students/seniors $23.50-$33.50 Location: Children’s Theatre Company, 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis Info: childrenstheatre.org or (612) 874-0400
“Mr. and Mrs. Watson … were delightfully supportive of their piglet and full of angst when they had to discipline her for eating the neighbor’s petunias.” piglet and full of angst when they had to discipline her for eating the neighbor’s petunias. Reed Sigmund was the height of silliness as Francine Poulet, the animal control officer. And in a fun Children’s Theatre twist, my grandsons and I were more than happy to join the audience in rescuing Mercy from Francine. The boys were delighted from the minute we saw the “toasty” stage until the closing moments when, as 4-year-old Lucas said, “Toast fell from the sky!” And of course, we all went home for a bedtime treat of toast “with a great deal of butter.”
PHOTOS BY DAN NORMAN
Above – Jason Ballweber and Sara Richardson in “Mercy Watson to the Rescue!” The show will be performed at the Children’s Theatre Company through Oct. 23. At left – Reed Sigmund, Sara Richardson, Mo Perry and Gerald Drake perform in “Mercy Watson to the Rescue.”
More family-friendly theater options
adolescent overachievers vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show’s Tony Award-winning creative team has crafted the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place on earth where they can both stand out and fit in. Presented by Theater Latté Da. Time: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29; 2 p.m. Oct. 9, 16, 23, 30 Cost: $29-$35 Location: Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 345 Washington St., St. Paul Info: ordway.org or (651) 224-4222
‘POCAHONTAS’ Commissioned for the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, Virginia, this musical drama recounts the life of Pocahontas, the Algonquian princess. The opera is a work of imagination that celebrates her life, debunking the popular myths and half-truths that surround her name. The 90-minute music-theater piece was composed by Burnsville resident Linda Tutas Haugen and will be performed by the Duluth Festival Opera. The cast also includes Native American musicians and dancers. The production will be in English. Time: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 Cost: Orchestra seating – Adults $27; students and seniors $24; balcony seating – adults $20; students and seniors $17 Location: Burnsville Performing Arts Center, 12600 Nicollet Ave., Burnsville Info: (952) 895-4680 or ticketmaster. com
‘PLAID TIDINGS’
‘OLIVER TWIST’ A young orphan in London escapes the workhouse only to fall in with a band of pickpockets. This theatrical adventure is told by a chameleon cast of 13, who combine Dickens’ original text with Victorian music hall tunes Time: Evening and matinee showtimes Oct. 2-Nov. 6 Cost: $20-$60 Location: Park Square Theater, Historic Hamm Building, 20 W. 7th Place, St. Paul Info: parksquaretheater.org or (651) 291-7005
‘FAIRY TALE ADVENTURES’ “Fairy Tale Adventures” is a collection of fairy tale stories including “Hansel and Gretel” and “Cinderella and the Seven Dwarfs: A Fairy Tale Mash-Up.”
PHOTO BY PETRONELLA YTSMA
“Oliver Twist” is showing Oct. 2 through Nov. 6 at Park Square Theater in St. Paul. Pictured are Steve Hendrickson as Fagin and Noah Coon as Oliver.
“Plaid Tidings,” the holiday edition of “Forever Plaid,” is a holiday musical suitable for the entire family. The Plaid Boys (Sparky, Smudge, Frankie and Jinx) have returned to Earth and are overtaken with the Christmas spirit. The audience will enjoy their version of “The Ed Sullivan Show” featuring the Rockettes, the Chipmunks and The Vienna Boys Choir. Time: Evening and matinee showtimes Nov. 4-Dec. 31 Cost: $47-$52 Location: Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, 501 W. 78th St., Chanhassen Info: chanhassentheatres.com or (952) 934-1525
‘THE WIZARD OF OZ’ The production will be co-directed by Justin Dekker and Kay Dunning. Time: 7 p.m. Oct. 7-8, 14-15; 2 p.m. Oct. 9 Cost: Adults $12; seniors 65+ and students $10; children 12 and younger $8; tickets will be available at the door Location: Twin Oaks Middle School, 15860 Fish Point Road S.E., Prior Lake Info: plplayers.org
‘BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA’ Jesse doesn’t fit in. He likes to draw and use his imagination, unlike his family and schoolmates. Enter Leslie, a new girl and potential rival. They become friends and together they create Terabithia, a
magical kingdom where they exercise their imaginations free from the pressure of family and peers. When the unexpected occurs, Jesse must use his newfound strength and confidence to move forward in his life. Based on the Newbery award-winning novel. Time: Evening and matinee showtimes Oct. 14-Nov. 6 Cost: Adults $15; children 2-7 and seniors 60 and older $12 Location: Stages Theatre Company, 1111Mainstreet, Hopkins Info: (952) 979-1111 or stagestheatre.org
‘MISS NELSON IS MISSING’ “Where is Miss Nelson?” ask the students of
Room 207. Their new teacher is Miss Viola Swamp and the kids can see she is a real witch. Will Miss Nelson ever return? Time: Evening and matinee showtimes through Oct. 23 Cost: Adults $15; children 2-7 and seniors 60 and older $12 Location: Stages Theatre Company, 1111Mainstreet, Hopkins Info: (952) 979-1111 or stagestheatre.org
‘THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE’ “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is a hilarious interactive musical comedy that chronicles the experience of six
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Just in time for the holidays, the Children’s Theatre brings back one of its single-most-requested productions. True to the 1939 MGM film, the newest production of “The Wizard of Oz” is a wonderland of munchkins and flying monkeys, wicked witches and ruby slippers, a trio of true friends and Toto, too. Time: Evening and matinee showtimes Nov. 8-Jan. 8 Cost: Adults $33.50-$57.50; children $23.50-$31.50; seniors $23.50-$57.50 Location: Children’s Theatre Company, 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis Info: childrenstheatre.org or (612) 874-0400