Captain Louie Flies High
Most shows that play the Walton Arts Center stay one night, maybe two. So it's always seemed unfair to me to review them: "Wow, it was terrific! Too bad you can't see it!"
I'm going to make an exception about this week's "Captain Louie": Wow, it was terrific! Too bad you can't see it! (And you should go if it comes within driving distance again!)
Just because something is "a touring production" doesn't automatically make it better than what you might see at University Theater or any of the community theaters in the region — and that goes double for children's shows. But "Captain Louie," an adaptation of a kids' book titled "The Trip," was sophisticated, high-energy, smooth as silk and warm as hot cocoa on a chilly fall evening.
Chelsea Jo Pattison was luminescent as Louie, a little boy who uses his imagination to fly back to his old neighborhood, and the rest of the cast, all with Off-Off Broadway or regional theater experience, raised themselves to her level. The music, by Stephen Schwartz, was exactly the caliber you'd expect from the guy who wrote "Wicked" and "Godspell." And the special effects were just as much fun as the story -- which started with one of the actors reading the book, a great lesson for kids who might not like to read as much as we all wish they did.
Here's the down side: The auditorium was way too empty for a show of this caliber. I know thousands of kids saw the daytime performances for schools, but moms and dads missed out on a great thing!
And here's a hint for the WAC staff: Sell the book in the lobby after the show. It would be a gift that keeps on giving.
Read more at: http://www.musicalschwartz.com/captain-louie.htm