Robert Fulghum is a writer who has made millions of dollars by writing about life's simple pleasures. And with countless readers responding to his musings on the profundities of everyday life, it seemed only a matter of time before someone figured out a way to cash in, I mean, repackage the stories so more money could be made and a wider audience reached. Thus, it seemed only natural that his blockbuster series, "All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten," would get refashioned into a stage musical.
And it has been, but what is neat about the whole endeavor is that it's actually good, in a heartstring-tugging kind of way. Enough so to melt even the heart of this cynical critic. As performed Saturday night by the Lawrence Community Theatre troupe, the musical, with adaptation by Ernest Zulia and music by David Caldwell, is really about the life-affirming joy found in everyday and not-so-everyday occurrences. Using a revue style and a lean piano score as a background, the cast evokes laughter and earnest warmth.
It comes off as a pretty fun evening of entertainment, thank goodness, and less like a maudlin episode of "Touched by an Angel," which is what I dreaded would occur. The cast includes Kristin Dempsey, Marilyn Nichols, Mary Ann Saunders, Dustin Lee Chase, Jon Hobble and Jeff Blair, and they work together as a true ensemble.
Kudos need to go to Dempsey and Nichols for some sharp solo work, along with Hobble for his strong comedic wedding monologue. My favorite performance was from Jeff Blair, who strongly resembles actor William Hurt, if Hurt had a sense of humor and more than one facial expression.
"Kindergarten" is a light, whimsical evening of entertainment that makes you think a bit, while it touches your emotions. The best part, however, is that with only a few mild profanities it's good theater that the whole family can enjoy.
The next performance is at 2:30 this afternoon, and the show runs through March 17.
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