Kyle DeFauw and ensemble members in Arthur & Friends Make a Musical!
It’s really a shame there are only six performances left of Arthur & Friends Make a Musical!, because truly, the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse's latest family entertainment was a fun show full of surprises and little touches that make the hour fly by. From the cast taking over the pre-show announcements to dancing off stage to a certain theme song, director Kiera Lynn’s small-but-mighty cast packs a big, big punch.
Based on the books by Marc Brown, with its stage book by John Maclay and music by Brett Ryback (both of whom co-write the song lyrics), Arthur & Friends Make a Musical! features a plot that's revealed in the title: Arthur Read (Kyle DeFauw), the lovable aardvark, and his pals have been prompted by their teacher Mr. Ratburn (Nicholas Fuqua) to write and perform a show for their town. Every kid in class is tasked with bringing their own unique element to the production, and reactions to this news are decidedly mixed.
DeFauw, thanks to costume designer Bradley Robert Jensen, is an easily recognizable Arthur, as are all his fellow characters. In this case, making the cast look like their literary and cartoon counterparts is indicative of Jensen’s success. One interesting thing about Arthur & Friends Make a Musical! is that the script clearly calls for a meeker Arthur than the more outgoing guy featured in the animated series. DeFauw plays this familiar role beautifully, and you can’t help but appreciate his projected anxiety over the school project. Fuqua is an ideal Mr. Ratburn, too, and I think most of the adults in the theatre appreciated his teaching style and song “Put Your Heart Into It.” (And I definitely got a chuckle out of the decision-making hat.)
If you’re at all familiar with the characters from Arthur, then you’ll be delighted that all the friends are accounted for here, including smarty-pants Brain (an upbeat, exceedingly kind Daniel Williams), who gives us a lesson on the story elements aided by an onstage poster. Lynn’s cast makes skillful use of Circa '21's mainstage Chicago set but features a few extra rolling flats, thanks to scenic artist Becky Meissen, that effectively creates both a classroom and Arthur’s home as needed.
Arthur is often at odds with his younger, outspoken little sister DW, and Hanna Marie Felver brought a ferocity to the role that was wholly charming rather than annoying; I loved it. While DW may have been Felver’s first credited role, she had other ample opportunities with some of the side characters, and was a great burst of sparkling energy whenever she was around. While DW may not be helpful in regard to Arthur’s musical problem, she effectively brings a lot of much-needed humor to the overall production.
As the richest and fanciest fashionista in Elwood City, Muffy (Sarah Beth Ganey) forcefully stirs up the action by helping Arthur “Dress for Success” and making her opinions widely known. Ganey seems to be having a lot of fun here, and that enthusiasm was certainly contagious in Tuesday morning’s opening-day presentation. I appreciate that Lynn kept the Muffy character simply overbearing rather than selfish, as this made Ganey' flamboyance more entertaining. It seemed she was genuinely trying to help Arthur … even if red sparkles aren’t his very best look.
Another one of Arthur’s classmates and friends, Francine, is played by a fantastic Rachel Winter. Francine fancies herself as something of an activist and realist, which is refreshing considering the other kids are thinking mostly of themselves. Winter stands out with Lynn’s choreography, and even commits whether wearing an inflatable dinosaur costume or having her own Alexander Hamilton moment.
Last, but certainly not least, is Arthur’s best friend Buster (Robert Sharkey), whose big moment comes with the telling of his story for the musical about Ulysses Napoleon Baggypants in song. This little mystery was the highlight of the show for me, and not just because his character obviously has a superbly awesome name. Sharkey is a wonderful narrator as the rest of the cast acts out the story and, guided by music director Shelley Walljasper, he sounds phenomenal singing. Giving Fuqua the chance to fully shine as The Queen is a fantastic choice, too, and Sharkey shares the spotlight well.
The best thing about Arthur & Friends Make a Musical! is that it’s a true ensemble show: it may be mostly about the titular Arthur, but no one in Lynn's cast is forgotten, as this story is chock-full of shared spunk, humor, and heart. Overall, Circa '21's production is an enjoyable little break from reality and a really great way to expose the youngest of theatre patrons to what live theatre is all about. Don’t miss out!
Arthur & Friends Make a Musical! runs at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse (1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island IL) through June 21, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)786-7733 extension 2 and visiting Circa21.com.
