I got you, 'Babes'

Family-friendly musical takes place at Wallenstien Theater Saturday

MOSES LAKE - At the last American Family Theater show, Randy Johnstad was struck by the number of girls who dressed as the title character.

"Last year I was so impressed with all the little girls who came dressed up like Cinderella," recalled the Columbia Basin Allied Arts executive director. "And I would say to them in line, 'Cinderella, you're supposed to be on stage.' And one little girl said, 'Oh no, I'm just dressed like Cinderella.'"

Now that the Philadelphia-based theater company is returning to put on "Babes in Toyland" at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Wallenstien Theater at Big Bend Community College, Johnstad is offering prizes to any youth who attend the performance in play-related costume. They will receive a free ticket to "The Adventures of Don Quixote," a Central Washington University production hitting the theater center in May.

"Toyland" is a timeless classic people rarely get to see anywhere, Johnstad said.

"They called and said it was available on the 15th, which is a Saturday, which is wonderful, which is, what, 10 days before Christmas?" Johnstad enthused. "I don't know how much better you can get."

The play was written by Victor Herbert in 1903 on the tails of the success of the "Wizard of Oz" musical.

"Usually things that are written on the tailcoats of something else aren't very good, but this was wonderful, everybody loved it," Johnstad said. "So it's a perfect holiday event. This is perfect for Grandma and Grandpa to take the grandkids, or Grandma and Grandpa to take the kids and the grandkids and for everyone to come see it. If you have extra money and you have kids in your neighborhood who don't have a ticket, buy them tickets to go see it; this is wonderful, a real timeless, hard to see show."

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children.

Johnstad said the plot is akin to a melodrama.

"The mother owes money for her mortgage payment, the old bad guy says, 'Well, give me your daughter's hand in marriage and you don't have to make your mortgage payment,'" he said. "Of course, the girl doesn't want to marry this old curmudgeon so she and her boyfriend devise a plan to get around the wedding, and they get the help from Jack and Jill and all these other toys in Toyland."

The theater company offers elaborate costumes, "wonderful" portable sets and personal microphones.

"So there's no problem listening or hearing," Johnstad said. "And it doesn't take that long, it probably lasts an hour, maybe an hour and a half at the most. Just a perfect thing to do on a Saturday before the holidays with the whole family."

For more information, call Johnstad at 509-793-2059.