Written by Heath Howes
The Candlelight Dinner Playhouse had to cancel shows and their season once the pandemic hit. Within a very small window of production time they have managed to mount three shows. The show I saw was an absolute blast.
Flat Stanley is a wonderful tale of a boy’s wish to travel the world and do great things, gone awry. He learns to see the good in it, and because of that gets his wish granted. While on his adventures, he realizes that his wish was available to him all along. He comes home to tell his family anyone could achieve the same by writing to friends and people around the world and starting a conversation of discovery.
You’ve decided to take the kids to the theatrical performance, the Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley at Candlelight Dinner Playhouse. Stepping out of the car, you are met with 1940’s swing jazz in the air while parents are unpacking children from safety seats. Everyone has masks on, even the little ones wiggling out of arms and running around. Walking up to the door there is a staff member reminding people to wear a mask for everyone’s safety. The docents, and the ticket clerks are all wearing gloves and masks while helping the attendees. Going through the entry lounge, you see tape on the floor to help guide people in distancing while in line for tickets, snacks, and the bathrooms. There will be no meals served during the show to help with health and safety. Walking into the seating area, you see that every other table has been removed and all tables have more than 6 feet from corner to corner. Even with the larger groups, it feels uncrowded, open and healthy. A soft orange glow from the table lamps accent the restless blues hovering over the curtain. Just in time for the show to begin.
The curtains rise and we are greeted by the Lambchops Family. The actors of Flat Stanley instantly engage with their audience with high energy and enthusiasm. A child in the back exclaims, “he’s a Jedi” recognizing the Star Wars and Harry potter references and jumps up in their seat, to swing a light saber with the actors as the Lambchop brothers sing about becoming heroes.
The Choreography throughout the show is visually stimulating and entertaining, keeping the audience focused on the show. The music and lyrics keep both adults and youth laughing. The show blends adult humor and kid like jokes seamlessly. The 5 brilliant actors, Oscar Whitney Jr., Ben Griffin, Ethan Knowles, Charlotte Movizzo and Suzanna Houdesheldt, are hilariously funny with their characterizations and interactions that keep the young audience members in their seats. The five actors create the more than 20 characters that appear in and help Stanley in his adventures.
It is evident that there was direction and effort to make all the characters different. Choreographer Savannah Svoboda did a wonderful job at not only showing us character and story, but safely keeping the actors from not touching each other during the dance numbers. There is even a comedic bit where two characters greet each other with a familiar handshake/hand slap routine, and after they take out a bottle hand sanitizer to reinforce good health habits, while making a learning lesson for the young audience members.
The Set, although minimalist, is also a character of its own. As one scene transition happened, a large envelope flips on stage to become a large mailbox, another young audience member cried out, “Mom! It’s a huge mailbox!” Director Nathaniel Quinn, is no stranger to the magic of story telling with a few bits of creative lighting, well placed Visual Misdirection, and something flat becomes 3-dimensional magic. With the set pieces, the wonderful choreography, the clear characterizations, we are transported to the reality of space and locations like Paris, Hawaii, and California.
At the closing of the show, it’s been a short delightful ride, you can tell by the kid’s reactions that they’ve enjoyed themselves. The 56-minute show almost ends too early. Talk of the show and Stanley can be heard everywhere. As one adult passes, they are heard talking about how good the story was and what a wonderful lesson for kids to learn. One kid asked about the Louvre Museum in Paris, and if the paintings talked, and the parent laughed.
I believe that Candlelight Dinner Playhouse has done an incredible job with the time given. Of the show I saw, if allowed more time I’m sure that a bit more focus on the set dressing/ props could have helped the immersion of reality. There could have been a bit more playful lighting design at the beginning of the show. But within the context of putting not just one but three shows up with limited time and help they have done an amazing job at creating art within a safe environment for the entire family.