Jerry Whiddon and his creative team have crafted an original and innovative remake of the classic children’s story written by Laura Joffe Numeroff. With its energetic tap dances, dress-up boxes, and scrumptious storyline, If You Give A Pig A Pancake is sure to delight younger audiences.

When an enthusiastic pig (Felicia) with a flair for spontaneity visits Laura, a young girl on her own for the morning, hilarity ensues. On a trail of tangents, they start out eating pancakes with syrup, then learn to tap dance, and finally end up building a tree house — all before mom comes home.

The show was fast-paced and energetic. The younger audience was certainly entertained and the grown-up audience had a few laughs of their own. Branda Lock (Laura) and four-time Helen Hayes award winner, Holly Twyford (Felicia), had fantastic synergy, both giving excellent performances.

The set, designed by Brenden McDougal, utilized few changes, but some really fun effects. Of special note was a blizzard of photos from the ceiling and a curtain that was hugely effective when coupled with the sound effects designed by Matt Otto. Locations were indicated primarily by the cast running offstage and then running back on. This was a decent, but somewhat confusing, concept since pieces of previous scenes remained on the stage. The changes could have used some clarification for detail-oriented grown-ups, but it didn’t seem to take away from the kids’ enjoyment.

Laura and Felicia’s tap dancing scene, choreographed by Karin Abromaitis, was arguably the most exciting part of the show. The lighting design by Andrew F. Griffin greatly enhanced the fun Broadway feel of the number.

Costume design by Heather Lockard really stood out in this production. There was enough variation to excite the imagination, but it wasn’t so big that the characters got lost in their costumes. They were charming and colorful and made up of things that any little girl might have in her dress-up box.

This is one great kids’ show. The experience is definitely worthwhile if you are looking for a fun way to spend an afternoon with your child — especially your little girl. If you’ve ever read this book to a child in your life, if you enjoy superb children’s theater, or if you just like to eat pancakes, this show is for you.

Cast

• Felicia: Holly Twyford
• Laura: Branda Lock

Creative Team

• Director: Jerry Whiddon
• Musical Director/Orchestrator: Wayne Chadwick
• Movement Coach & Choreographer: Karin Abromaitis
• Set Designer: Brenden McDougal
• Lighting Designer: Andrew F. Griffin
• Stage Manager: Martita Lee Slayden
• Sound Designer: Matt Otto
• Costume Designer: Heather Lockard
• Scenic Artist: Sasha Goldstein
• Props Coordinator: Debbie Wheatley
• Tap Dance Choreographer: Michael J. Bobbitt
• Master Electrician: Sarah MacKowski
• Assistant Director: Jason Schlafstein
• Assistant Stage Manager: Julie Roedersheimer

Disclaimer: Adventure Theater provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.