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 Book and Lyrics by Judith Viorst
Music by Shelly Markham
Directed by April-Dawn Gladu What do you do when you wake up with gum in your hair, your best friend decides he is not your best friend any more, the dentist says you have cavities, there are lima beans for supper and kissing on TV? Go to Australia, of course! Weekend Performances for Children and AdultsSaturdays at 2:00 and 4:30 (running time 50 minutes)
November 16, 23, 30, December 7, 14, 21 Weekday Performances for School GroupsSchool Matinees at 10:00am & 11:30am
November 14, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 26
December 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20
School Matinees at 10:00am only on Nov. 20 & Dec. 4, 11, 18 Subscriber Form - Single Ticket Form
  
REVIEWSAlexander's 'Very Bad Day' offers good time for allThe Orlando Sentinel
by Betsey Maupin
Posted November 16, 2002 Poor Alexander. He's having a bad day. No, wait, make that a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Why not? There's gum in his hair, he gets carsick on the way to school, there's no dessert in his lunch, and instead of going out to play, he has to go to the dentist. It doesn't get any worse than this. Or any better. In the hands of the Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival's Theater for Young Audiences and director April-Dawn Gladu, that bad day turns into the terribly lively, horribly funny and very entertaining Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
Adapted from the classic Judith Viorst book, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, the production (opening today) is enticing to watch. The cast members bounce about and through Bob Phillips' whimsical set and Eric Haugen's rich lighting like kids on a sugar high. There's a certain ease about them, and they know when to play up a certain look or action for laughs.
David Cross is particularly good at it. With his tousled hair and comical expressions, Cross throws himself into the part of Alexander -- literally. When Alexander learns he's being forced to get the same pair of white sneakers at the shoe store, Cross gets to throw a monster-sized tantrum and puts his all into it. And as Alexander's friends and family, Doug McGeoch, Michael Geniac, Tiffany Jewel and Kristin Clippard match Cross's physicality and knack for comedy bit for bit.
Portraying the only adults in the show, Shelby Sours and Tim Williams embrace their characters with just as much verve. Sours' Mother is loving and gentle, if not a little harried, and Williams, who plays multiple characters (as much of the cast does), is particularly hysterical as the Shoe Salesman, singing a rousing tribute to shoes while dressed in a vest and pants decorated with tiny light bulbs....
On the whole, though, Gladu and the cast know their audience, and they work hard to bring the experience of the play to children, constantly surrounding them with action. Alexander makes bad days look really good. INK 19 MagazineArchikulture Digest
by Carl F. Gauze
Issue 30: November 2002 Adults forget how important everything seems when your growing up. Whether it's lost chewing gum, a bad shoe day, or demotion to 3rd best friend, seemingly minor things can overwhelm a kid like Alexander (Cross). He's having a regular entropy storm today, with all the above and more raining down on him as he struggles thought a typical 3rd grade life style. As Alex and buddies bounce of the walls like they're dosed up on Lucky Charms and warm Pepsi, parents and teachers (Sours, Williams) try to keep a reasonable lid on the action and emotional cross currents that can ravage you when you have no real control over your station. Would fleeing to Australia help? Maybe, the kangaroo and koala seem friendly, and you do get to wear a cool hat. While that's the extent of dramatic tension, there are plenty of silly but real situations played out on the brightly colored stage filled with hidden prop furniture. A half dozen songs roll through the production, starting with the wistful "If I Was In Charge" which leads into the sarcastic "I Love My Baby Sister" and climaxes with my favorite, "Hot Hot Shoes", sung by the electrically wired shoe salesman (Williams). While squarely aimed at the kids in the audience, Alexander equally amuses the taller folks; even those of us who prefer to see children on TV. There's a regular request to get the audience to enthusiastically chant the tag of the title, and we all join Alexander in his desire to move to Australia, where things are surely more amenable to a frustrated child, on stage and off. A mild message sneaks in, the being that Tomorrow Will Surely Be Better Than Today. And looking back with my years of experience, I can assure you that improvement IS possible. And even tomorrow still sucks, here’s a good way to get the kids out of the Gamecube fantasy world and into the equally fantastic world of live theater. It's a clever show that allows kids to be kids, and still not annoy the really old guys like myself. |
