CHICAGO—Whether a theatrical production is performed indoors or out, the show typically requires a stage. That’s not the case, though, with “The Lizard Y El Sol,” a delightful treat for tots under 5 years old. Indeed, in the case of this production of a cherished story, allowing for its story to be told in a landscape venue gives the audience the feeling that they are participating in the show.
Indeed, the play, which is presented for free in Chicago parks, provides an interactive experience that keeps kids involved in the fable and in characters’ actions.
The story is about a time when the sun disappears and all the animals try to find it. But no matter how hard they look, the sun remains lost. Soon they all give up trying, except for one determined little lizard who won’t give up. Of course, he’s the hero of the story and represents the moral of the tale: to keep at a task until you succeed.
Besides interacting with the actors—Osiris “Pinky” Cuen, Emmanuel Ramirez, Lucia Mier y Teran Romero, and the kids favorite, Jean Claudio, the Lizard—the little ones also took part in a Maypole dance. They hopped, skipped, and danced as they wrapped ribbons around a pole. The kids were also enchanted by colorful, adorable puppets that represented the other animals searching for the sun.
A retelling of a beloved Mexican folktale featuring interactive storytelling, colorful puppets, and Mexican style music and dance, the play had the little ones enthralled by the brave little lizard on a quest to find and bring back the sunlight.
At the show that I saw at Haas Park, the kids squealed with delight throughout. I heard one little girl ask her mom about getting a lizard puppet, and a little boy deciding that he would like a pet lizard instead of a dog.
A terrific way to get the very young interested in theater.
