Over Mother’s Day weekend at the Kentucky Center downtown, kids of all ages danced and laughed along to the fun and silly production of “Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly,” the stage adaptation of Doreen Cronin’s beloved children’s books, “Diary of a Worm,” “Diary of a Spider,” and “Diary of a Fly.”
The lively musical opened with a cast of bug friends as they prepared for their first day of school – some with a bit more enthusiasm than others. The story highlighted the worries and aspirations of Fly, Spider, and Worm, along with their friends Ant and Butterfly and their teacher, Mrs. McBee.
With a brightly colored set that brought to life everyday items (such as a shoe) as they’d appear to a cohort of bugs, the show entertained both kids and parents from opening hip-hop number to curtain call.
Enjoying the many neat surprises during Saturday’s performance!
The production boasted plenty of cute one-liners, a number of age-appropriate jokes that were clever enough to have the grown-ups giggling along too, and a few somber moments that touched on life lessons about friendship, facing down our fears, and taking on life’s challenges with gusto. “I may be little, Mrs. McBee,” Fly boldly proclaimed to her teacher, “but I can dream big.” And the boisterous Jessie Alagna as Fly, even among her many talented colleagues, easily stole the show.
Author Doreen Cronin and daughter Abby were in attendance from New York for their first-ever viewing of the nationally produced musical, happily signing books and talking with the audience, as well as participating in a Q&A following the afternoon show.
Author Doreen Cronin with her daughter, Abby.
Cronin shared that she was “super excited” to finally see her story characters brought to life on stage and warmly engaged with audience members once the performance ended. Her face lit when she spoke about Louisville, explaining how much she enjoyed the walkability of the city and that she and her daughter were looking forward to touring the Slugger Museum during their visit.
Saturday’s early production was a sensory-friendly performance, with great care taken by the thoughtful and inclusive StageOne staff to ensure theatergoers were prepped with what to expect throughout the show, including visual signals that indicated upcoming loud noises for the comfort of attendees who fell along the autism spectrum.
For the 2014-2015 season, StageOne Family Theatre has an excellent line-up of family-friendly shows, as well as an ongoing free storybook program, Storytellers, ideal for children ages 3-6.
Tickets are still on sale for the May 17 11 AM and 2 PM performances of "Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly." Recommended for children ages 4+.
To purchase, call the Kentucky Center at (502)584-7777, order online, or buy tickets in person at the box office: 501 W. Main Street, Louisville.
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Photo credit: Kirsten Clodfelter
