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How Can You Run with A shell On Your Back?
Music, Lyrics and Book by Michael Mahler and Alan Schmucker
Directed by Peter Flynn
Music Direction by Lisa McQueen
Choreographer by Devanand Janki
At Chicago Shakespeare Upstairs Theater
Navy Pier
Chicago, IL
Call 312-595-5600, tickets $16 for students and $20 for adults
Thursdays: March 15, 22, 29; April 5, 12, 19 at 10 am & 12:30 pm
Fridays: March 16, 23, 30; April 6, 13, 20 at 7 pm
Saturdays: March 17, 24, 31; April 7, 14, 21 at 11 am and 2 & 4 pm
Sundays: March 18, 25; April 1, 8, 15, 22 at 11 am & 2 pm
Running time is 75 minutes with no intermission
Through April 22, 2007
Charming children’s musical fable warms the heart
Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Family Series showcases the talents of actors/composers/lyricists and playwrights Michael Mahler and Alan Schmucker. These Northwestern University graduates are sure making a mark in Chicago theater both as performers and composers. Their delightful new musical, How Can You Run With A Shell On Your Back? is a charming, cleverly innovative show that kids six and up will enjoy. It is an energetic, funny and warm show filled with heart and goodwill. 
Shell on Your Back is based on Aesop’s Fables: “The Tortoise and the Hare,” “The Ant and the Grasshopper” and “Androcles and the Lion.” The exuberant and zestful musical reveals the simple and timeless fables through tunefully fun musical allegories. The cast of young Equity actors joyfully play middle school kids stuck in after-school detention. Utilizing CST’s upstairs theater, here set in a four-cornered center stage, playing to audiences on all sides, (set design by Robert Andrew Kovach), depicts a school library where six precocious students are serving their detentions.
Riley (Angela Ingersoll) is the goodie two shoes; Jackson (Matthew Amador) is the macho boy jock while Savannah (Harriet Nzinga Plumpp) is the fashion queen and Ari (Jeffrey James Binney) is the lovable fat boy and class clown who tries too hard to be funny with Daisy (Jessie Mueller) playing the tough cynical girl. Howie (Brian Sills) is the intellectual nerd boy with low self-esteem.
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The group is lead by Mr. Sopperstein (Mark David Kaplan), a substitute teacher, assigned to moderate the detention. When he shows (and encourages) the group to immerse themselves into the fun of acting out a good fable, songs, dances and frantic movements allow the students (and audiences) to share in the sheer joy of make believe. The singing is excellent using the modern William Finn style (thing 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) singing to the high-spirited songs. The score is bouncy, smart and story appropriate and it is filled with a nice pop rock and folksy melodies. The cute lyrics are honest and truthful.
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Shell on Your Back weaves three of Aesop’s most beloved allegories. Director Peter Flynn has the ensemble running, jumping and singing in madcap kid-like enthusiastic role playing Aesop’s three stories. The ten songs give a modern children’s perspective that delights and engages us. The ensemble allows each performer to shine as the swiftly paced 75 show wins us over easily. Take children to see this show and you’ll see the glimmer of joy in their eyes. Afterward, get them a copy of Aesop’s Fables. They’ll love you for both
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: March 11, 2007
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