This review aired on KBAQ April 29, 2013

CHILDSPLAY STAGES INNOVATIVE ADAPTATION OF “A WRINKLE IN TIME”

“A WRINKLE IN TIME”
Childsplay, Tempe Center for the Arts
Tempe, AZ

Leave it to the fabulously creative, endlessly innovative Childsplay to cleverly adapt Madeleine L’Engle’s popular children’s science fiction fantasy, “A Wrinkle In Time,” into a marvelously inventive theater piece.  If you have or know children who have read and relish the book, get your tickets and enjoy this magical story with your young friends as it unfolds on stage.  The kids at the opening performance applauded wildly and enjoyed themselves immensely.

L’Engle’s story starts on a bleak, stormy night at Meg Murray’s house where she is with her precocious brother Charles and their friend, Calvin, when a mysterious stranger appears and takes the kids on fantastic adventure where they travel through space and time.  Exposing any more of the story details would ruin it for young audiences and even for older audiences who accompany the younger theatergoers.

As always, Childsplay creates a variety of winning special effects, wild set pieces, creative costumes, and a bunch of other theatrical tricks that take the young audiences on a magical journey and adventure.  At the end of each performance, the cast chats with the audience about the show answering questions, encouraging story interpretation, and exposing some of the magical effects that Childsplay uses to enhance the story.

The plot doesn’t sugar coat the adventure and many challenges face the characters as they proceed to the positive and uplifting ending.  While the production engages young audiences, there is nothing to scarce or frighten them.

The cast of professional actors are all wonderful from Rebecca Duckworth’s realistic Meg to Cullen Law’s feet-planted-firmly-on-the-ground brother Charles, to Yolanda London’s stalwart Mother, to Debra K. Stevens magical Mrs. Whatsit, to Kyle Sorrell’s initially stuffy father that transforms into a viable and realistic Dad, and to gangly Will Hightower’s Calvin, the questioning companion.  The flawless and engaging acting makes the story come to life engagingly.

Like most Childsplay productions, “A Wrinkle In Time” engages the audience as it tells the author’s story artfully so that the production proves appealing and enjoyable to young audiences.  What better way to start young children on live theater than with a fine Childsplay staging.  “A Wrinkle In Time” continues through May 26 at the Tempe Center for the Arts.  For tickets, call the Tempe Center for the Arts box office at 480-350-2822 or order tickets online at www.childsplayaz.org.

Grade: A