Review

Fri, 03/08/2024 - 02:27 pm

KEVIN BURNHAM

Pinocchio (Agatha Harris) and Geppetto (Andrew Luke) talk about their life ahead. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Blue Fairy (Natalie Flagg) and her Fairies in Training, from left, Kayla Watts, Fiona Bishop, Jessie Ullo and Scout Martin in the opening scene of the Y Arts play. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Y Arts youth as Town Children sing about “Toys.” KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

One of the Town Mothers (Brianne Martin) hugs her child (Adeline Inman). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Town Father (Soren Barker) spanks his child. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Geppetto (Andrew Luke). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Pinocchio (Agatha Harris). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Geppetto introduces his son, Pinocchio, to the Town Fathers (from left, Craig Urwin, Nick Ullo and Soren Barker). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

When Pinocchio tells a lie, his nose grows. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Signora Giovanni (Medea Harris) as the school teacher tells Geppetto about Pinocchio’s bad behavior at school. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Puppeteer Stromboli (Alan Baldwin) and two of his Marionettes (from left, Violet Baldwin and Adeline Inman) meet in Geppetto’s shop. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Pinocchio and the Marionettes sing and dance to “I’ve Got No Strings Attached.” KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Geppetto meets Bernardo (Nick Ullo) and Maria (Sara Watts), parents who meet with Professor Buonragazzo (Nick Mirabile) to receive a child. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Ringleader of Pleasure Island (Soren Barker). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Pinocchio becomes a real boy and jumps into the arms of Geppetto. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Blue Fairy (Natalie Flagg) grants another wish. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Director and Choreographer Emily Mirabile. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Pinocchio (Agatha Harris) and Geppetto (Andrew Luke) talk about their life ahead. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Blue Fairy (Natalie Flagg) and her Fairies in Training, from left, Kayla Watts, Fiona Bishop, Jessie Ullo and Scout Martin in the opening scene of the Y Arts play. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Y Arts youth as Town Children sing about “Toys.” KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

One of the Town Mothers (Brianne Martin) hugs her child (Adeline Inman). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Town Father (Soren Barker) spanks his child. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Geppetto (Andrew Luke). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Pinocchio (Agatha Harris). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Geppetto introduces his son, Pinocchio, to the Town Fathers (from left, Craig Urwin, Nick Ullo and Soren Barker). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

When Pinocchio tells a lie, his nose grows. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Signora Giovanni (Medea Harris) as the school teacher tells Geppetto about Pinocchio’s bad behavior at school. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Puppeteer Stromboli (Alan Baldwin) and two of his Marionettes (from left, Violet Baldwin and Adeline Inman) meet in Geppetto’s shop. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Pinocchio and the Marionettes sing and dance to “I’ve Got No Strings Attached.” KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Geppetto meets Bernardo (Nick Ullo) and Maria (Sara Watts), parents who meet with Professor Buonragazzo (Nick Mirabile) to receive a child. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Ringleader of Pleasure Island (Soren Barker). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Pinocchio becomes a real boy and jumps into the arms of Geppetto. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Blue Fairy (Natalie Flagg) grants another wish. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Director and Choreographer Emily Mirabile. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor hosted its first Boothbay Region Y Arts play in years on Friday and Saturday, March 8 and 9. A cast of over 40 children and adults put on three shows of Disney’s “My Son Pinocchio: Geppetto’s Musical Tale” before huge and appreciative crowds. The main players gave outstanding performances under the direction of choreographer and director Emily Mirabile, arts and humanities director at Boothbay Region YMCA.

Andrew Luke as Geppetto was outstanding. He blended very well with the young Y Arts actors and actresses, and young actress Agatha Harris as Pinocchio seemed very comfortable working her first starring role with an adult. Other outstanding performances by the main players were given by Natalie Flagg as the Blue Fairy; Fiona Bishop, Scout Martin, Jessie Ullo and Kayla Watts as the Fairies in Training; Alan Baldwin as Stromboli, the puppet master; Nick Mirabile as Professor Buonragazzo, the child maker; and Soren Barker at the Ringleader of Pleasure Island.

According to licensee Music Theatre International, the brief synopsis of the story is “the classic tale of toymaker Geppetto’s little wooden puppet is given new life. This new musical, which retells the classic Disney story from Geppetto’s perspective, features the beloved classic songs, “When You Wish upon a Star” and “I’ve Got No Strings,” alongside a host of new songs by Oscar winner and Grammy Award winner Stephen Schwartz. Join the Blue Fairy, Stromboli and a lively cast of characters as Geppetto journeys beyond the toyshop to discover the meaning of family. When the Blue Fairy grants Geppetto's wish to bring his beloved puppet to life, the new father quickly learns that being a parent is full of challenges. He struggles to make his son ‘the perfect boy,’ only to lose him to a gang of Roustabouts. It is only when faced with the thought of never seeing Pinocchio again that Geppetto truly learns the joys of being a father and loving his child unconditionally.”

A group of 13 Y Arts parents added greatly to the show as Town Mothers and Town Fathers. The comedic scenes during the singing of “Toys” prompted much laughter from the audiences.

Mirabile, in her welcoming monologue, spoke very kindly about the man for which the production was dedicated, the late Kit Sherrill of Southport. Kit was a great supporter of the Boothbay Region Y Arts program and participated in several productions, including Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” and Kris Kringle in “A Miracle on 34th Street.”

Next up for Y Arts is the production of “Willy Wonka JR,” which will be performed May 23 and 24 at Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta.