“Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook" at Augustana College -- February 29 and March 1.

Saturday, February 29, and Sunday, March 1, 1:30 p.m.

Augustana College's Brunner Theatre Center, 3750 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island IL

Described by Talkin' Broadway as a family entertainment that provides both “plenty of humor” and “simple yet incredibly effective lessons for younger children to learn,” playwright Allison Gregory's Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook enjoys an Augustana College presentation on February 29 and March 1, delivering what Arizona Central declared “a wonderfully fun production” that's “clever enough to charm all ages.”

This continuation of author Barbara Park's popular book and stage series showcasing Junie B. Jones – a young girl with a friendly, funny, curious, and occasionally trouble-making personality – opens with its heroine enduring a terrible day at school, as someone has apparently stolen her favorite furry mittens. So when Junie B. finds a wonderful pen of many colors, she believes she should be allowed to keep it, because, as Junie says, “Finders keepers, losers weepers!” Junie's day gets even better when a handsome new boy shows up in her kindergarten class. Unfortunately, Junie's classmates Grace and Lucille both want him to be their boyfriend. But maybe he will love Junie B. instead when he sees her wonderful new pen? After all, it's okay to keep it, because Junie B. Jones is not a crook … or is she? What follows is a hilarious and touching tale that delivers, in a hugely entertaining way, valuable lessons about taking what doesn't belong to you and the best ways to make friends. As DC Metro Theater Arts stated, “Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook is sure to entrance children and adults alike,” with the Maryland Theatre Guide adding that the family comedy is “almost too much fun to be as heartfelt as it is.”

Directing Augustana's Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook is alumna and Brunner Theatre Outreach Coordinator Jackie McCall, whose previous family entertainments for the college have included The Frog & the Princess, Pinocchio Commedia, and Aesop's (Oh So Slightly) Updated Fables. Kelsey Notestein makes her Augustana stage debut as Junie, while the production's other ensemble members – Will Crouch, Shyan DeVoss, Emma Hydorn, Maddie McCobb, AJ Perez, and Miles Potje – all portraying between two and three characters each. And with Kasia Olechno serving as stage manager and Rebecca Casad as assistant stage manager, the production's team of designers and crew members includes Lauren Clarke, Susan Holgersson, Neil Holmquist, Megan Hoppe, Mark Lohman, Cheyenne Powell, Jonathan Quigley, Sam Ramont, and Riley Scranton.

Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook will be staged in the Rock Island college's Brunner Theatre Center on February 29 and March 1, admission to the 1:30 p.m. performances is $5, and more information and tickets are available by calling (39)794-7306 or visiting Augustana.edu/tickets.

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