The New Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley

Where can you see a grown man, flattened kite-like soar on a string, get stuffed in an envelope, and even mailed around the world? In the wonderful world of imagination, where Adventure Theatre has enough imagination to flatten dimensions before your eyes. Read more

The Little Engine That Could

Like the little engine that could, the audience at the Sunday show must have said to themselves while chugging through the first icy morning of the season, “ I think I can, I think I can.”  And they did.  Read more

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

“Sucking your thumb without a blanket is like eating a cone without the ice cream.”  This is just one of many lines young audience members will be able to relate to in this lively production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Read more

Strega Nona

“Be careful what you wish for,” is the lesson in this entertaining musical adaptation of Tomie dePaola’s picture book about Strega Nona, or “Grandma Witch.” Read more

Holes

Holes
by Louis Sachar, adapted for the stage from his novel of the same name
Directed by Rachel Grossman
Produced by Adventure Theatre
Reviewed by Tim Treanor

The novel Holes is designed to make older children excited about reading. Adventure Theatre’s fine, faithful production of the Louis Sachar novel will make them excited about theater. If that’s your objective, this is the right place.

Holes first introduced itself to me when we were hosting a young friend of ours from Chicago for the summer. Alex was doing an internship with his Congressman, and he was full of ambition. Read more

Frosty the Snowman

Frosty the Snowman
Book by William Francis
Music and lyrics by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins
Produced by Adventure Theatre
Directed by Karl M. Kippola
Choreography by Michael J. Bobbitt
Reviewed by Tim Treanor

Let’s get to the bottom line first: Frosty the Snowman is Bubba^TM-approved and Bubba^TM-certified. Go see it and take your kids. Read more

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Harold and the Purple Crayon
book, music and lyrics by Adam W. Roberts
based on the book Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
directed by Michael J. Bobbitt
produced by Adventure Theatre
reviewed by Lorraine Treanor

Adam W. Roberts has taken the purple and white book about Harold and his purple crayon, added a few characters, peppered his play with lots of songs, and turned it over to Adventure Theatre for its world premiere.  Judging from the squeals of delight and hoots of laughter from the tiny tot audience, Read more

Goodnight Moon

• Goodnight Moon
• Musical Adaptation by Chad Henry
• Based on the book by Margaret Wise Brown
• Directed by Mary Hall Surface
• Music Direction by Jay Crowder
• Co-produced by Adventure Theatre and Tribute Productions
• Reviewed by Gary McMillan

I thought I was wandering into a theatre to find a general admission seat for an evening performance, only to find that I had actually crossed a threshold into a Great Green Room. Oh, my!  Read more

Go Dog Go

• Go, Dog. Go!
• Adapted by Allison Gregory and Steven Dietz from the book by P. D. Eastman
• Directed By Karin Abromaitis
• Produced by Adventure Theatre
• Reviewed by Hunter Kieserman

Seeing a show at Adventure Theater is such a treat! Just walking around the grounds of Glen Echo Park where the theater is located brings back great memories of all the shows I have seen there. I have been seeing productions at Adventure Theatre since I was seven or eight years old and I am very happy to see that the theatre is still going strong.

Unlike many of the children at the theater, I had never read or heard the story of “Go, Dog. Go!” by P.D. Eastman.

A Kids Stages review. Continue reading here.

The Secret Garden

• The Secret Garden
• Based upon the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• Directed by Michael J. Bobbit
• Produced by Adventure Theatre
• Reviewed by Jonny Perl

Like a ballet that tells a story, The Secret Garden opens with a series of magnificent tale-telling dances. A snake in India is cleverly charmed. Mary’s parents suffer a horrid death from cholera and Mary is shipped off on a long journey to the estate of her guardian, Uncle Craven across the ocean. This is just one of the many poetic dances choreographed by the talented Dana Tai Soon Burgess in The Secret Garden. Read more