LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill.—Imagine that you’re on a school field trip to the planetarium, but instead of arriving there, you end up in outer space! That’s the exciting adventure that children can experience at the Marriott Theatre’s wonderful production of “The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System,” now playing in Lincolnshire, Illinois.
The story begins in Ms. Frizzle’s class. Students are excited to be there because she knows how to make learning exciting. She is especially good at making science fun because instead of using textbooks to teach, she uses first-hand experiences. The lesson in the musical centers on an exploration of the Solar System.
The class is on a bus headed to the planetarium when they make a wrong turn and get lost. That’s not a problem for Ms. Frizzle, though, because with one click of a button she turns the bus into a rocket ship that is catapulted into interplanetary space.
Learning in Orbit
Although the students are excited about watching the moon revolve around the earth, and discovering how Mercury and Venus twirl around the sun, they are having some personal problems. Ralphie is more interested in food than in homework; Arnold complains about his cousin, Janet, a know-it-all. Carlos believes he’s a comedian; as the class clown, he makes jokes at other’s expense. And Wanda prefers to be friends with aliens because she finds her fellow students boring.It doesn’t take long before the classmates are arguing with each other. That becomes challenging when the bus is swept off its path and onto an Astroid Belt. It’s scary since the bus is being swatted by meteors, but it gets a lot worse when Ms. Frizzle steps outside into an ocean of emptiness to repair the bus.
The students start to panic when they see their favorite teacher’s tether line break. She begins to float into empty space. Even though they’ve been grumbling and not getting along with each other, the classmates realize that they have to work together in an effort to rescue their beloved teacher.
It’s not easy to present an out-of-the-world experience in Marriott’s theater-in-the-round. Complements are due to scenic designer Milo Bue and lighting designer Megan Wines. They’ve scattered colored lights along the auditorium’s aisles, suspended stars on the ceiling, hung planets around the stage, and floated bubbles that suggest swirling meteors.
The 60-minute musical, directed and choreographed by Katie Johannigman, moves at almost warp-speed. The musical direction by Ellie Kahn creates an exhilarating accompaniment to the action. The most fun of the show, though, is watching adult actors turn into kids.
As Ms. Frizzle, Abby C. Smith has a terrific flair for comedy as well as a golden voice. Furthermore, her class is a hoot. As Arnold, Will Koski is a riot as a student obsessed with perfection. As Arnold’s narcissistic cousin Janet, Emily Ann Brooks has a lot of funny one-liners. Ryan Stajmiger is a charmer as an adorable Ralphie, and Tommy Rivera-Vega comes up with lots of gags as Carlos. Finally, last but not least is Rachael Armstrong, in a engaging performance as Wanda.
The Marriott Theatre has established a reputation for highly polished, professional productions. It’s such a joy to see the same dedication and high standard evident in their Young-Audience shows. As in all their productions for children, there is a question-and-answer session with the cast at the end of the show.
Parents will enjoy sharing this theatrical experience with their kids, and their kids are going to love the show.
