Monday, August 4, 2008

Snip, Snap, Snute

The message I took away from Snip, Snap, Snute: A new musical for children is be fearful of people you don't know. People who wear matching red wool vests are good and trolls with messy hair and dingy clothes are bad. If you are red vest person, like the farmer, who gets stuck with a messy-haired, dingy-clothed daughter, make sure you make her feel like a loser. Even though she is smart and spirited tell her she can't do things because she's just a girl. By the same token, if you are a troll-ma, be certain to let your sweet-voiced daughter know that she is worthless because she can't burp like a troll. The two young girls-the changelings- get a "happy" ending that is telegraphed the minute you first meet their characters.

Musically, the show is engaging. John Mattesich on guitar and Russ King on keyboard kept a firm foundation under the singers and kept things rollicking along. I enjoyed the vocal writing as well. "Goat for Supper" and "Human Bean for Supper" were sharp and witty. The quartet of trolls (Cory Anderson, Nikolas Soll, Johnny Charon, plus Daniel Olson as the troll ma) were hilarious.

Unfortunately, I could not get past the message of the show.

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