“Pinkalicious”

[rating=4]I enjoy the theater for kids that Chicago’s theater troupes produce. Most of them are old standards, revisted and once in awhile we get something new and different. Of course being of an older generation, some of the stories and characters that are represented in these shows are unfamiliar to me, which makes it difficult. In most cases, I am able to take one of my many grand kids so that I can watch them as they have their eyes opened to live theater and get some input from them so that I can gear my review in a way that a parent ( or grandparent) might be able to figure out if thei toddler will react in a positive or negative fashion. The one thing we want kids to do is experience live theater leaving with a good feeling. What we don’t want, is a kid being trotted out of the theater so that others are not disturbed and having them be “turned off “with the concept of going to the theater! Adam, my five year old reviewer, had other things to do and he said that “Pinkalicious”, the new production staged by Emerald City Theatre, is not really a boy’s play, so one of our neighbors ( a playmate of Adam’s) went in his place.

Here is what a five year old girl says of this production. ” The play was mostly cute and had some funny songs, “Green Food” and the “cupcake Dream” songs were the most fun. The story is about  Pinkalicious ( played by Lara Mainier) who loves pink. More than love it, she lives it. All the other people in the show keep reminding the audience, in a pink way, not to take things to far, and to just be yourself. Even little boys in the audience, who don’t like pink, at the end of the show did!

Maddie, my five year old reviwer and her brother and sister ( twins that are 3) loved the music and found the greatest part was when she had to eat lots of greens as she had turned Pink and the greens would bring her back to normal. Based on the book by Victoria  and Elizabeth Kann, with music by John Gregor and lyrics by Gregor and the Kanns, this is a delightful hour of entertainment for the kids and a lesson for all who attend. Going to extremes to prove a point works against, not for! The cast of five players, Patrick Byrnes, Shea Coffman,Rachel Klippel, Julia P. Gordon and of course Ms Mainier are highly energetic with solid voices and Ernie Nolan’s direction, choreography and set design truly make this a fun hour for audiences of all ages ( and genders). It’s alright to like pink! Emerald City does it again- quality children’s productions at affordable prices.

To get show times and purchase tickets check out www.emeraldcitytheatre.com

$13 and $16- a bargain for entertainment that educates.

or call 773-935-6100

Emerald City performs at The Apollo Theatre located at 2540  N. Lincoln Avenue.

The “Pinkalicious” cupcake parties featuring games, crafts, stories and more with pink cupcakes and to wash them down pink lemonade are on the following dates:

Saturday October 17th and 24th at 2 p.m. til 3:30 p.m. at a cost of $15 for kids and $25 for adults- this takes place at The Grand Central located at 950 W. Wrightwood ( just a little north and east of the theater)for this special event  visit www.emeraldcitytheatre.com/cupcakes