REVIEW - Charlie and the Chococlate Factory at ALT

RAVING RICHARD RADIO REVIEW, FOR LIVE BROADCAST ON TUESDAY, JULY 29, 2008 KKIM, 1000 A.M., ALBUQUERQUE, AND 94.7 P.M., SANTA FE

AGAIN, THEATREGOERS, GREETINGS FROM THEATRELAND! THIS WEEK'S COMMENTARY ON LIVE THEATRE IS ALL ABOUT THE CURRENT PLAY AT ALBUQUERQUE LITTLE THEATRE, THE CLASSIC "CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY." IT'S A PLAY FOR KIDS, ABOUT KIDS, AND WITH KIDS-KIDS BOTH ON STAGE AND KIDS IN THE AUDIENCE. WELL, THERE ARE A FEW ADULTS IN THE STORY, BUT THE SHOW IS DEFINITELY A KID SHOW, AND DO THEY LOVE IT!

BY COINCIDENCE, THE MOVIE VERSION OF THIS PLAY WAS SHOWN JUST LAST NIGHT ON A.B.C.'S FAMILY CHANNEL 59, AND YOU'D THINK A FILM WOULD BE BETTER. BUT NOT SO THIS TIME, EVEN THOUGH HOLLYWOOD COULD CREATE MORE SPECTACULAR SCENES THAN IS POSSIBLE ON THE STAGE-WHICH GRANTED, IT DID. EVEN SO, JOSH BIEN'S MULTI-LEVEL SET DESIGN FOR ALT'S PRODUCTION IS ALL YOU NEED TO GIVE THE KIDS ON STAGE AND IN THE AUDIENCE A REALISTIC IMPRESSION OF WHAT A CHOCOLATE FACTORY MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND ON WHICH TO CAVORT, WHICH IS THE FIRST TIME IN EIGHT YEARS AS RAVING RICHARD I'VE USED "CAVORT". BUT IT COULDN'T BE MORE APPLICABLE, AS WEBSTER DEFINES CAVORTING AS (1) TO LEAP ABOUT, PRANCE OR CAPER, AND (2) TO ROMP ABOUT HAPPILY; FROLIC. TO ALL THIS CAVORTING, THE AUDIENCE SQUEALS WITH DELIGHT, TO THE PLEASURE OF STEPHANIE SHAHVAR, DIRECTOR.
MICHAEL CHAVEZ AS CHARLIE BUCKET--OR SHOULD I SAY "BUQUE," IN DEFERENCE TO THE LADY ON THAT ENGLISH COMEDYI-PLUS TIM KUPJAK AS GRANDPA AND STIRLING MORRIS AS THE NARRATOR, ALMOST STEAL THE SHOW, BUT THEY CAN'T WITH ALL THOSE WONDERFUL KIDS TO WATCH-ESPECIALLY THOSE NINE CUTIES IN THE WELL-CHOREOGRAPHED DANCE ROUTINE, ALL FANCIED UP IN COSTUMES LIKE CHRISTY BRYSON HAS OUTFITTED THE ENTIRE CAST. TO BE SURE, "THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY" IS A VERY COLORFUL PRODUCTION, FAST PACED, AND ONE YOU SHOULD SHARE WITH YOUR KIDS FOR PERHAPS THEIR FIRST TASTE OF SHOW BUSINESS.

IN THAT REGARD, STARTING AUGUST 4, ALT IS REGISTERIING KIDS OF ALL AGES IN SESSIONS RANGING FROM CREATIVE DRAMATICS TO STORYBOOK THEATRE, TO CLOWNING AND ACTING, PLAY WRITING AND OTHER SPECIALTIES-EVEN BEGINNING ACTING FOR ADULTS, FROM AGE 18. IF INTERESTED, CALL 242-4750. THAT’S THE SAME NUMBER FOR TICKETS AND RESERVATIONS. THIS SHOW REPEATS WEEKENDS THROUGH AUGUST 10.

THANKS FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT OUR PERFORMING ARTS.