The Cardinal Stage Company's ‘Cardinal for Kids' series offers If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, based on the book by Laura Joffe Numeroff. It's a thoroughly delightful and interactive production at the John Waldron Arts Center.
The Cast
McCarry Reynolds is great fun as the boy who becomes just a bit too friendly and helpful to the demanding mouse. Mike Price manages to keep the audience's sympathy as the mouse despite his demanding ways – he quite literally swings from the chandelier in his dramatic efforts. Stacy Brewer appears dressed as a copy of the mouse for a very funny take on the Marx Brothers' old mirror gag.
Behind The Scenes
Sarah Sandberg's set for If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is colorful and imaginative. Her crazily-sized props include a glass of milk the size of a bucket with a straw that's about six feet long, and a set a crayons the size of fence posts.
Composer and musician Tom Berich matches his array of percussion instruments to the action for continuity and accent throughout.