Review: ‘Arthur & Friends Make a Musical' at the Marriott lets the storybook characters put on a show

Chicago Tribune

3 days ago

Funding cuts have been tough for those who value public media, including generations who grew up watching shows such as 'Sesame Street' and 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood,' but in a bit of happier news, one beloved PBS character is getting a new life onstage in Lincolnshire. The Marriott Theatre's latest production for young audiences, 'Arthur & Friends Make a Musical!,' features the anthropomorphic aardvark of Marc Brown's children's books and long-running animated series. Although the musical's book and lyrics could be more engaging, this Chicago premiere offers a wholesome message about embracing your authentic self, delivered with lively visuals, music and dance.
Winter Olamina stars as Arthur, an earnest, anxiety-prone youngster who studies alongside a variety of animal peers at Lakewood Elementary School. When their teacher, Mr. Ratburn (Ron King), announces that the class will write and perform an original show for the entire community of Elwood City, Arthur soon spirals into self-doubt. If he follows Mr. Ratburn's advice — write about what you know and put your heart into it — Arthur feels he won't have anything more interesting to share than the story of getting his first dog. Should he try to rival his classmates' flashier ideas and write about alien space elephants instead? Tough dilemma for a budding creative.
The show-within-a-show framing device allows the writers (John Maclay, book and lyrics; Brett Ryback, music and lyrics) to slip in some educational material about the creative process, discussing techniques such as plot development and characterization. Most of Arthur's friends take an individual turn in the spotlight as they develop their show, which turns out to be a musical revue culminating in a group number.
Francine (Danielle Davis) celebrates a little-known historical hero with a 'Hamilton'-inspired song about Anna Strong, a woman who spied for George Washington during the American Revolution, while Buster (Garrett Lutz) writes a mystery about a fictional detective named Ulysses Napoleon Baggypants, played by Arthur's little sister, DW (Joryhebel Ginorio). Muffy (Arwen-Vira Marsh) lends her eye for fashion to the class's production, and Brain (Andrés Enriquez) chooses to write about dinosaurs, one of his many areas of academic expertise.
Despite the efforts of a hard-working cast, directed and choreographed by Tommy Rivera-Vega, the energy was pretty low in the house during the performance I attended. The show seemed to hold the attention of most of the young audience members, but there weren't many laughs and visible reactions — an absence that's especially obvious at an in-the-round theater. Not every family show needs to be a comedy, but there's an expectation for a certain amount of age-appropriate humor that just isn't present in this material. Not helping matters, balance issues with the sound mixing made some of the lyrics hard to hear.
Visually, this production teeters between charming and distracting. Nicholas Hartman's costume designs employ a cheery palette of yellow, pink and blue, combining nods to the television series with goofy original looks for the 'Baggypants' number, among others. Leo Bassow's props offer several cute surprises, such as newspapers that open into three-dimensional shapes, pop-up book style. Attendees with visual sensitivities should be aware that bright lighting panels surround the audience on all four of the theater's outer walls (lighting design by Conchita Avitia and media design by Anthony Churchill). Thousands of small LEDs change colors throughout the show, forming patterns, spelling out text and generally creating a busy background that sometimes makes it difficult to focus one's gaze on the actors. The Marriott provides information about this design element and more in an online sensory guide.
With the help of his parents, teacher and friends, Arthur finds the confidence to share his personal story at the big performance. He then joins his classmates and Mr. Ratburn for a rocking finale that expresses pride in their hometown and a desire to make Elwood City better for all its residents, echoing ideas of social justice championed by Francine earlier in the show. While I appreciate the attempt to explore the tension between celebrating your home and being honest about its difficult history and present challenges, this secondary theme feels underdeveloped when most of the plot focuses on Arthur's mental health and journey toward self-expression. Despite this imbalance, both the individual and collective themes of the musical reflect the affirming values of the source material: believing in yourself and caring for your community.Review: 'Arthur & Friends Make a Musical!' (2.5 stars)
When: Through Aug. 10
Where: Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire
Running time: 1 hour
Tickets: $16.75 at 847-634-0200 and marriotttheatre.com