Jennifer Kirkeby

From the Page to the Stage: a few tips on how I adapt a picture book into a musical

2012-01-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

At Stages Theatre Company on opening night of LLAMA LLAMA RED PAJAMA

I am frequently asked how I take a picture book of say 200 words or so, and turn it into an hour musical. I have a few secrets that I'd like to share.

The book author has already done a lot of the work. They have developed a character, a problem, and an ending. So I begin there.

In the case of Anna Dewdney's LLAMA LLAMA RED PAJAMA, Artistic Director Sandy Boren-Barrett had the idea of having six baby llamas and six mama llamas instead of just one each. Each character has a unique and clear personality. The individual mamas only relate to their own babies, so in essence there are six stories tied together with wonderful musical numbers composed by Shirley Mier.

Then my imagination gets to unleash. One of the babies is a drama llama, another loves to golf, one likes to do magic tricks, Billy is the next "tap-dancing sensation!", one baby plays soccer, and another is an avid reader.

As a result, each baby establishes what they do immediately. They have conversations with their stuffed baby llamas. Once they're tucked in bed, they come up with crazy ideas as to why their mamas aren't coming back to check on them.

"She probably joined the circus." "I'll be she went to outer space!" "She probably joined "Dancing With The Stars." "She went to Hollywood to be on "Are You Smarter Than A Llama?" "I'll bet she went up the beanstalk!"

And yes, I did word play. How could I resist having one of the mama llamas who happens to be a clean freak say: "I'd better clean up in case Obama Llama stops by." Or: "Pick up your dolly, llama." I just couldn't help myself.

Then the audience watches these vignettes come to life through the magic of theatre. It's just enough to keep the young ones engaged and the parents chuckling. What parent doesn't relate to trying to get their child to bed? And how creative do kids get in trying to have their parents return?

There are wonderful musical numbers such as: "I Don't Want to Go to Bed", "Llama Lullaby", "All Alone", "The Humming Song", "What is Mama Llama Doing?" and "Stomp and Pout, Jump and Shout".

I try very hard to stay true to the original author's intent although clearly much is added in the creation of a musical. But I think a lot of the process is wonderful for a picture book author. For example:

Try writing your story only with dialogue. How does it change things?
Try asking: "What if?" Let your character fly to outer space if they feel like it. You can always bring them back later.
Don't limit the dialogue to just the characters. What if the stuffed animal talked to your character? What if their pet spoke to them? The lamp? What would they say, and how would your character respond?
Try different settings for your story. How would it change if your character was in a boat in the middle of the ocean? In a tree? In another country?
DON'T CENSOR YOURSELF! This is a big one for me and a lot of writers. You know that voice that is always telling you: "That is ridiculous. A chicken can't waltz!" Well, guess what? In my world they can! Have fun. The real work begins in the rewrites anyway.

Jennifer Kirkeby is a published playwright, actress and teaching artist. Her adaptation of Ludwig Bemelmans' MADELINE'S CHRISTMAS (Dramatic Publishing Company) has been performed in more than 45 theatres nationwide. She's the mama of two beautiful girls who were masters of avoiding bedtime when they were little.

llama llama red pajama: make-up day!

2012-01-10T08:49:00.000-08:00

LLAMA LLAMA RED PAJAMA opens this Friday at Stages Theatre Company! We have all been working very hard. I thought it would be fun for you to see some before and after photos of the actors. Please be sure and scroll down to the bottom for more info. Enjoy!

Seth

Seth in make-up

Seth in costume and make-up

Clare

Clare in costume and make-up

Grant

Grant in make-up

Grant in make-up and costume

Maddie

Maddie in make-up

Maddie in costume and make-up

Nikki in make-up

Nikki in costume and make-up

Jill

Jill in make-up

Jill in costume and make-up

Emma

Emma in make-up

Emma in costume and make-up

Joanna

Joanna in costume and make-up

Michelle in make-up

Michelle in costume and make-up

Keegan

Keegan in costume

Alaina

Alaina in make-up

Alaina in costume and make-up

Lizzie

Lizzie in make-up

Jill, Joanna & Gretchen

Gretchen in costume and make-up

Jennifer

Jennifer in make-up

Jennifer in costume

Llama Llama Red Pajama by award-winning Author Anna Dewdney premieres at Stages Theatre Company (STC) Jan. 13 at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. This musical production, adapted by Playwright Jennifer Kirkeby and music by Shirley Mier, is perfect for all ages and runs under an hour in length.

The script features six adult female actors portraying different mama llamas, and six youth actors portraying different baby llamas. “Each of the baby llamas has their own bedtime rituals. The audience will instantly relate to The Common issue of trying to get their children to go to bed. They will be introduced to Carey the actress, Holly who plays soccer, Lonnie the magician, Joey who loves to play golf, Billy “The Next Tap Dancing Sensation!”, and Lana who would rather read than go to sleep,” says Kirkeby.

Upcoming events for “Llama Llama Red Pajama” include an appearance by Author Anna Dewdney at the Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul on Saturday, Jan. 28 beginning at 10:30 a.m.; a book signing with Dewdney following the Sunday, Jan. 29 afternoon performance at Stages Theatre Company (annual fundraiser, Snowball) and at the Mall of America on Tuesday, Feb. 7 for Toddler Tuesday with sample performances at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Llama Llama Red Pajama begins Jan. 13 and ends Feb. 12 and tickets can be purchased by visiting www.stagestheatre.org for performance dates and times, or by calling the Box Office at (952) 979-1111, Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for children (ages 5 to 17) and seniors (60+). Lap passes are available for free (ages 0 to 2) and $5 (ages 3 to 4).

Stages Theatre Company was founded in 1984 and since then has grown to become one of the largest professional theatres for young audiences in the country. We engage young artists with themes relevant to their lives and involve them in creating magical works featuring young people in meaningful roles. Through theatrical productions, workshops, conservatory classes and other outreach programs, Stages Theatre Company annually serves more than 130,000 young people and their families.

llama llama red pajama: from the page to the stage

2012-01-05T08:24:00.000-08:00

Stages Theatre Company in Hopkins, Minnesota is getting ready for the world premiere of LLAMA LLAMA RED PAJAMA. It opens January 13th. It's an exciting time, and I thought that I'd share some of our rehearsals with you.

l. to r. Claire, Maddie, Emma, Alaina and me in our Llama shirts

This photo is from our first night with sound. Getting used to the microphones and sound levels is a very important part of the rehearsal process, as you can imagine.

Director, Sandy Boren-Barret and choreographer, Ann Marie Omeish

Sandy Boren-Barret, the director of the show, and the Artistic Director of Stages Theatre Company, had a great idea for this musical. She envisioned six Mama Llamas and six Baby Llamas. They all have different personalities. For example, one baby loves theatre, another plays soccer, one is a magician, and another loves to golf. The audience will get to see each Mama Llama try to get her Baby Llama to go to bed, and the funny things that the Baby Llamas try to do to stay up.

It was a lot of fun coming up with different excuses as to why the Baby Llamas don't want to go to bed. This is a picture of Grant. He plays Billy, "The Next Tap Dancing Sensation!" Of course he wants to tap dance instead of go to bed.

Anna Dewdney

We are all very excited because Anna Dewdney will be visiting us and seeing the show on January 29th!

Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

Adapted by Jennifer Kirkeby

Music by Shirley Mier

For more information about the show, please visit: http://www.stagestheatre.org/

Also, be sure and check out Anna's website: http://www.annadewdney.com/

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-12-31T14:04:00.000-08:00

All right. Time to make those resolutions. I have 8-1/2 hours to come up with all of those things that I meant to do last year and the year before that. This year I'm going to keep it simple. Maybe that way I'll actually get some of them done.

1. EXERCISE MORE. It's important to exercise. But I live in Minnesota and it gets so cold here your eyeballs freeze open if you're not careful.

2. EAT BETTER. You are what you eat, right? But wait. That means I'll end up a vegetable if I eat too healthy. Better keep those chocolates in my drawer.

3. GET A MAMMOGRAM. I do this yearly, I promise. But every since a girlfriend of mine told me about a lady who was getting a mammogram and suddenly a fire alarm went off and the nurse ran away leaving the poor lady squished helplessly in the machine, I've been putting them off until the last minute. The fire alarm was just a drill by the way, but I'll bet that lady takes a few friends with her whenever she goes in for her mammogram.

4. ENTERTAIN MORE. Actually, I should just write entertain. The last time I had anyone over was my brother-in-law for Thanksgiving and he brought the turkey.

5. BECOME ORGANIZED. I really tried this year. I made so many "to do" lists, I could wallpaper my house with them. I put things in order, broke down what had to be done, and started off with a bang. The problem is, I can't find any of those lists now.

6. DRESS MORE FASHIONABLY. My daughters have pointed out that many of my clothes are outdated. They even helped me clean out my closet. Very thoroughly I might add. However, all of the clothes I gave away are now back in style. I don't see the point in buying clothes that I was forced to give away in the first place. But OK, maybe this wouldn't be such a bad idea.

7. BE MORE POSITIVE. You know how it goes. Sometimes you see the glass half full, sometimes it's half empty. I'll admit that while I appear to be a very optimistic person, I often make things much harder than they are. Attitude is everything. Well, that and accessories I hear.

8. BLOG MORE FREQUENTLY. I'm a writer, so I really should blog more than twice a year.

8 more hours until 2012! I'll probably think of some more resolutions that I may or may not do. But in the meantime, I'm going to walk my dogs, find a nice outfit to wear for tonight, eat my greens, and start on a new list. But I am not going to have a mammogram today. No way.

Miss Hannigan's Dance in PARIS!

2011-08-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

CHECK OUT MY ALTER EGO, MISS HANNIGAN'S SHENANIGANS!

2011-07-31T06:11:00.000-07:00

Greetings, fellow Blogsters! I am currently playing the very glamorous role of Miss Hannigan in Stages Theatre Company's production of ANNIE JR. The blog is called: Hannigans Shenanigans and I hope that you will check it out! I love answering questions, so please send me one! My latest blog includes a few moves that you are NOT going to want to miss! Here you go:

http://hannigansshenanigans.blogspot.com/2011/07/miss-hannigans-dance-moves.html

Stages Theatre Company Presents Annie Jr.

2011-07-14T17:37:00.000-07:00

Annie Jr. Pre-Opening at Stages Theatre Company

2011-06-26T04:50:00.000-07:00

ANNIE JR.

2011-06-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

ANNIE JR. Brings Mother/Daughter Duo and Five Sets of Siblings to the Stage, 7/1-8/7 Broadway World

Stages Theatre Company (STC) is truly bringing family together when ANNIE JR. opens July 1 at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. The award-winning musical is based on the comic strip "Little Orphan Annie" but is a junior version that condenses the original into less than 75 minutes of pure family entertainment, designed especially for younger audiences.

"We started this season with the tag line We Celebrate Friends and Family and ANNIE JR. perfectly embodies that," says STC Artistic Director and Director Sandy Boren-Barrett.

In a rare occurrence, five sets of siblings (as part of a large ensemble cast) and a mother-daughter duo bring this modern classic to life on stage. "I would love to say that as the director I planned to have all these amazing siblings when I cast the show, but frankly I just picked each actor/musician as the talented individuals they are. It wasn't until I actually looked at the cast list at the read through, that I realized we had so many siblings," says Boren-Barrett.

Actress Jennifer Kirkeby experiences a bit of deja vu with ANNIE JR. Fifteen years ago she choreographed her tow daughters Laura (Tessie) and Amber (Molly) in ANNIE and is thrilled to have Laura choreograph her in ANNIE JR. "She is such an amazing dancer, and I have so much pride and admiration for all the years of hard work and training that she's done. She also has a wonderful sense of humor and the knowledge of what works on stage," says J. Kirkeby. Playing Miss Hannigan, she says audiences can expect a slightly different character in this version. "She isn't a drinker, she's just stressed out to the point of being crazy. Miss Hannigan is a dream role of mine, and I just hope that I do her justice."

For choreographer Laura Kirkeby, STC is a place that has brought her family together for several productions including "Rumpelstilskin" where her mother directed her on stage, and "Mother Goose Rocks" where she performed on stage with both her mother and sister. "I am very excited to choreograph my mom on stage. Oh how the tables have turned! I grew up watching her choreograph my entire life, and have always looked up to my mom," says L. Kirkeby.

ANNIE JR. begins July 1 and ends Aug. 7. Tickets can be purchased by visiting http://www.stagestheatre.org/ for performance dates and times, or by calling the Box Office at (952) 979-1111, Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 6 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for children (ages 5 to 17) and seniors (60+). Lap passes are available for free (ages 0 to 2) and $5 for (ages 3 to 4).

Stages Theatre Company was founded in 1984 and since then has grown to become one of the largest professional theatres for young audiences in the country. We engage young artists with themes relevant to their lives and involve them in creating magical works featuring young people in meaningful roles. Through theatrical productions, workshops, conservatory classes and other outreach programs, Stages Theatre Company annually serves more than 125,000 young people and their families.

http://stpaul.broadwayworld.com/article_/index.php?article=ANNIE-JR-Brings-MotherDaughter-Duo-and-Five-Sets-of-Siblings-to-the-Stage-71-87-20110613

M is for the Many Things

2011-05-21T04:55:00.001-07:00

Today is the one year anniversary of my Mother's passing. She suffered from dementia, one of the worst diseases a person and a family can endure. I recently wrote a short play called "The Glass House" which examines how a mother and daughter struggle to communicate when the mother begins to hallucinate. The daughter tries to validate and comfort while agonizing over the loss of being recognized by her own mom.

Every Mother's Day I would sing a variation of a very funny Madeline Kahn song: "M is for the Many Things You've Done For Me". It went like this: "M is for the many things you've done for me, O is for the other things you've done for me, T is for the thousands of things you've done for me, H is for the hundreds of things you've done for me. E is for everything you've done for me, R is for the rest of the things you've done for me." It always made Mom laugh. Last year I sang it to her while she lay in her hospital bed in the house that she loved. She no longer responded, but I like to think that it still gave her some joy.

I celebrate Suzanne G. Carey on this day. Her amazing sense of humor. How she laughed when we would hang a picture upside-down. How she was always the last person to get a joke. Her incredible garden, her tennis playing, her constant optimism and belief in her children. Her artistic skill. Her love of nature. She was the most self-less person I have ever met. She believed in our abilities like no one else ever will.

When I was a little girl, I wrote a prayer to God. I put it under a rock, and when I checked it the next day, it was gone. I asked Mom if she knew where it went. She told me that an angel probably had taken it. Now I know that was what happened. I love you Mom.

Check out The Frog Prince | Stages Theatre Company

2010-10-12T08:03:00.001-07:00

Check out The Frog Prince | Stages Theatre Company

2010-04-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

CLICK, CLACK, MOO

COWS THAT TYPE

Opens Friday, April 16th at Stages Theatre Company

For ticket information: http://www.stagestheatre.org/

or call the box office: 952-979-1111

You don't want to miss this!

Beware of the Person in the Next Stall

2010-01-03T14:59:00.000-08:00

Years ago my girlfriend and I went to the lovely Dorothy Chandelier Pavilion to see "Annie Get Your Gun." My girlfriend, Patty was going to be playing Annie, and I was the choreographer in an upcoming production at The Conejo Players in Thousand Oaks, CA. We were looking forward to seeing the Los Angeles Production, and we certainly weren't disappointed.

During intermission, we waited in the perpetually long line for the restroom while the men swiftly and easily went in and out of theirs. Once in our stalls, I looked to my left at Patty's lovely espadrilles under the dividing wall. She had recently purchased them, and I couldn't wait to get a pair. Patty was always a step ahead of me in fashion, and I would often take my cue from her as to what to buy.

I decided to play a trick on my unsuspecting girlfriend. I've always enjoyed playing silly, innocuous tricks on my friends. While still admiring her lovely sandals, I reached under the stall divider and untied Patty's right espadrille. Whoosh! Easy! So easy in fact that I made a mental note that when I bought my own pair, I would double knot the laces so this wouldn't happen to me.

Patty screamed. I laughed. But I knew that time was of the essence. I didn't want to lose the element of surprise. I moved in for the second one. I reached all the way over and untied her other lace. She screamed again. I laughed even harder and said: "I got you!"

I left my stall and went to the sink to wash my hands. Still chuckling to myself, I watched Patty's door in the mirror waiting for her to come out. I imagined that it was taking her some time to retie her sandals. I looked down the long full bathroom, and saw...Patty! She was washing her hands at the other end of the room!

Nothing can describe the panic that I felt. I motioned frantically for Patty to hurry. "What?" What's the matter?" she said as I quickly pushed her out of the bathroom. "Shhh! Don't say anything!" I whispered hoping that nobody would later be able to recognize my voice. Surely the victim in the stall was already making mental notes of the perpetrator!

Once we were out of the bathroom, I said: "Walk this way!" I zigged and zagged as fast as I could until I felt that we were in a safe zone and that no one there would recognize my shoes. Then I began to laugh. And laugh. It took me a while to tell Patty what had happened. When I did we both howled until tears ran down our cheeks.

Despite the humor of the situation, I've always felt truly sorry for the poor woman in the stall. I'm sure that it was a frightening experience. So, in the unlikely event that she reads this, I would like to publicly apologize for untying both of your espadrilles. If nothing else, perhaps you can take comfort in knowing that you have fabulous taste in shoes!

The Bear Jumped Over The Moon

2009-05-17T07:05:00.001-07:00

Photo by Bruce Challgren: http://www.photopixels.com/

It's a big responsibility performing a well-known story such as Goodnight Moon in front of children. Most of them know every word by heart. Playing the Old Lady Bunny a few months ago, I began to recite the beloved words: "In the great green room there was a telephone, and a red balloon, and a picture of ..."

And that's when it happened! In that moment, I couldn't remember which animal jumped over the moon! The whole show is made up of animals. There is the mouse, the dog, the cat, the COW and of course the main character, the Little Bunny. In my defense, right before I began my lines, something had fallen. It was loud. I was momentarily distracted and concerned that someone might have been hurt. Also, you must know that the boy who played the cow also played one of the three bears.

Regardless, what came out of my mouth was: "In the great green room, there was a telephone, and a red balloon, and a picture of the bear jumping over the moon." To add insult to injury, the lights came up on the picture for all to see of the cow jumping over the moon. (See above photo.)

There was a pregnant pause. Some whispers in the audience. I can only imagine what the children were saying. "Mommy, is that a bear?" "Daddy, the cow jumped over the moon, right?" Or more likely: "That lady doesn't know what the heck she's talking about!"

It's amazing what the mind goes through in just a matter of seconds. I thought: "Should I tell the Little Bunny that of course I meant to say: "Cow" and not "Bear?" Should I refer to the bear as a cow for the rest of the show for consistency? Should I stop the show and make an announcement? All actors know this feeling - it's aptly called the Actor's Nightmare.

Of course the show always must go on. And it did. Quite nicely, thank you. But I never lived it down. Every time the cast did a microphone check prior to one of our shows, someone would say: "And the bear jumped over the moon!" Great laughter followed. Of course, I was always afraid that I would say the line wrong again. I would sit in my rocking chair at the beginning of each show and say the line correctly over and over again like a mantra. Luckily, I got it right for the rest of the performances.

But really, if you think about it, a bear does have about as much of a chance to jump over the moon as a cow does...

Martha's Magical Morning

2009-04-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

My sister Martha is a wonderful artist. Not long ago, she read a post from the beautiful blog: A Fanciful Twist. http://afancifultwist.typepad.com/. The post was about embracing the beauty of nature. Martha had been particularly busy that week, and decided to take a moment for herself before her three teenagers woke up.

Energized by the beauty and wonder of the world around her, she opened her front door to skip outside into the garden of inspiration. Fairies were sure to be there welcoming her, along with the birds, butterflies, and flowers brimming with creative guidance and a spiritual muse or two.

What happened instead was this: Two birds flew into her house. Martha has 2 Golden Retrievers, and well, they aren't called "bird dogs" for nothing. Tweety #1 was the lucky one. She navigated herself back outside. Tweety #2 wasn't so fortunate.

The dogs, Sunny and Stormy, began doing what they do in nature - chasing feathered flying things. Tweety #2 flew into a window and fell. Sunny rushed to the rescue, and happily picked her up. She then began running around the house with pride. Martha reacted the same way that I would and began screaming: "No! Sunny, no! Drop it, drop it! No! Aughhhhhh!!!! Cookie! Cookie!"

Sometimes a bribe can work in a case like this. Sunny fell for it, and dropped Tweety in hopes of a cookie. Unfortunately, before Martha could react, Stormy picked up the bird and began to run around the house wagging her tail proudly, certain that she too would be rewarded with a cookie.

Martha began screaming: "Somebody, help me!" as she chased Stormy. Sunny smiled at the turn of events and began chasing Martha. My poor sister was sobbing, pleading, bribing Stormy with treats, back rubs, stock options - anything and everything that she could think of. By now, her three teenagers began to cautiously emerge from their rooms, certain by the sound downstairs that their mother was being attacked. Her oldest son was at the ready with a baseball bat. Her daughter and younger son had their cell phones, ready to press "send" after already having pressed 9-1-1.

I'm sorry to report that Tweety #2 didn't make it. We can only hope that the flight into the window was when she met her Maker. All we know for sure is that Tweety had a nice burial and is in a better place.

Martha's moral for this story: When looking outside for magic, remember to close the door behind you.

Visit Martha's blog: http://mjornaments.blogspot.com/

No Returns, No Exchanges, No Checks!!!

2009-02-26T15:27:00.000-08:00

There is way too much stress in this world. A while ago my husband and I waited in line to purchase a few items at a hardware store. The line was longer than we in America like to stand in, and there was frustration building. You could feel it. You know what I'm talking about. Heads begin to look around as if that action will beckon the arrival of another cashier. People begin to throw their hip out and exhale. Loudly. I know because I am usually one of those people. But on this day, I didn't really mind the line.

As hoped for, and most certainly brought on by the body language of the increasingly frustrated customers, a new cashier came to open up another register. Oh joy. We wouldn't have to wait those few minutes longer for "those slow people in front of us". Have you ever noticed that no matter what, the person in front of you always feels like "a slow person"?

But I must move on to the point. I tend to ramble, and I'm really working on that. Where was I? Oh yes, a new line! Choirs began to sing! Rose petals fell from the rafters! And my husband and I were the lucky ones who were called upon to be first in this new line! However, the new cashier looked stressed. Very stressed. Even angry. I don't know what had happened to her that day, but I decided to try and help her out of her funk. Let's call her, Matilda.

Matilda said in a very authoritative voice: "I'm open. No returns, no exchanges, and no checks!!!" That's when my plan went into action. I place my three items down, and pointed to each item, one at a time. I said: "I need to return this, exchange this, and I'll need to write a check for this." A moment of silence. But not for long.

Matilda responded loudly: "I just said: No returns, no exchanges, and no checks!!!" Then the people behind me began getting mad. I realized that I had better get out of this fast before Matilda (or someone about to buy a hammer) exploded or threw something at me.

"I was just kidding", I replied with my most award winning smile. No doubt Matilda would begin laughing and her day could start anew. Well, it didn't happen that way. But it did for others. The lady behind me began to laugh. So did a lot of the other people who heard the exchange. The lady behind me, let's call her Grace, said to me: "I can't believe how stressed out I was! When you said that you needed to return, exchange and write a check I got furious! And over such a little thing! Thank you for making me laugh. I needed it!"

Knowing that my work there was done, and seeing that Matilda still wasn't laughing, my husband and I left the store giggling like two little kids. I felt good. I had brightened someones day. Next time I buy groceries, I'm going to pretend that I want to pay with pennies. That ought to be good for a laugh!

"The Mitten" by Jan Brett is now a Musical!

2009-02-22T09:35:00.001-08:00

Jan Brett & Jennifer Kirkeby

L: Marilee Mahler, Stage Manager

R: Sandy Boren-Barrett, Director

Laura Kirkeby, Choreographer

Photos by Bruce Challgren

I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to adapt some remarkable children's books for the stage. One of my favorites was "The Mitten" by Jan Brett. It was produced by Stages Theatre Company last year. Anyone who has read Jan's beautifully illustrated books knows that her readers are instantly transported to the magical settings of her stories.

"The Mitten" was a particularly fun adaptation for me because it is based on the Ukrainian folktale of a young boy who drops his white mitten into the snow. One at a time, various woodland creatures get inside the mitten for warmth until it is ready to burst. The last animal to enter the mitten, the Mouse, tickles the Bear's nose as she snuggles in. The Bear sneezes, and well, I don't want to give away the ending in case you haven't read it yet. :)

When the Artistic Director of Stages Theatre Company, Sandy Boren-Barrett asked me to adapt "The Mitten", she told me that she wanted it to be a dance-theatre piece. We had talked about this concept for a few years, and this seemed like the perfect story for this style. As a result, much of the play was set to music. Composer Shirley Mier began her research by listening to a lot of Russian-Ukrainian music. She truly caught the spirit of the story by using a "Peter and the Wolf" style. Each character had their own instrument and theme.

One of the things that I do for inspiration and relaxation is to take walks. Well, I have two Schnoodles, so my walks aren't always relaxing. Regardless, I remember taking them on a walk after a big snowfall prior to adapting "The Mitten". The snow was untouched and so white and sparkly that it actually hurt my eyes. The trees and bushes were heavily flocked with snow. The sky was endlessly blue. It was stunningly beautiful, and I felt as if we had stepped into a Jan Brett illustration.

As we crunched along through the snow, I watched how excited my dogs were to be outside. I wondered what it would be like to be their size moving through such deep snow. At times, my smaller dog, Sadie, would disappear into a soft snow drift, only to jump out with clumps of snow clinging to her fur. I thought about the different animals in "The Mitten" and how hard it would be for them to survive a long, cold winter. That walk was just what I needed to begin my adaptation.

As you can see from these photographs, the production of "The Mitten" was beautiful. We had an amazing production team and group of actors. Joe Stanley created a set that looked just like the exquisite illustrations in the book. The play was very well received, selling out many shows in the 730 seat theater.

One of the best things about writing a play (and at times the most terrifying) is sitting in the audience watching the production that you have worked on for months, sometimes years, unfold. For "The Mitten", I smiled as I listened to the "ooh's" and "ahh's" of the children. They absolutely loved guessing (and in many cases knowing) which animal was coming onstage next. One little boy sat in front of me holding his copy of the book. Even though he was obviously too young to read, he proudly turned the pages to follow along with the play.

There are other theatres that are interested in doing this production. We were asked many times where people could buy the music CD. Publishers have also asked about it. It is my hope that this musical has a long and happy life.

My next adaptation with Shirley Mier is "The Paper Bag Princess" by Robert Munsch. Auditions are this week, and it will open at Stages Theatre Company on April 17th. Come and see it. It is the original girl-power book!

Besides being an amazing artist, Jan Brett is a teacher's best friend. Visit her website: http://janbrett.com/. You will find an amazing array of free activities, coloring pages and projects. She recently started a blog in which she shares her life, her animals, what inspires her, and what her next projects are.

Please Don't Flash the Bunny!

2009-02-16T08:29:00.000-08:00

I just finished playing the "Old Lady" in a wonderful production of "Goodnight Moon". Chad Henry did an amazing job of adapting the beloved children's book written by Margaret Wise Brown. Many parents read this book about the Little Bunny who keeps finding reasons not to go to sleep to their children until the book's pages are worn from all of the page turning and love.

I was the only adult in the musical. The average age of the cast was 13. Being the only adult has its challenges, but these youth actors were pros.

The reason that I am mentioning the ages of the cast is because as you can imagine, I felt very motherly towards them. When they got sick I told them to drink more water. When they broke a shoelace, I gave them a new one. When they were too loud in the green room...well, I told them. Over a six-week rehearsal period and a five-week performance schedule doing 9 shows a week, we got to know each other very well.

"Goodnight Moon" was an adorable show visually. It was intentionally designed to look just like the book, and it did. Our mostly young audience sat spellbound for the most part. "He sat at the edge of the seat the whole time!" "She wants to come and see the show again!" "This is our first show, and we'll be back!" "He's never been quiet for a whole hour since he was born!" were some of the many comments that we heard in the receiving line.

We had many first time theater-goers. And with first time theater-goers, mistakes are bound to be made. (Can you feel the tension mounting???)

Most people understand that having a cell phone go off during a movie or live theater production is not acceptable. It is disruptive and rude. I heard a story of an actor who chased the offender with the cell phone out of the theater screaming at him (the offender apparently decided to answer his phone and have a discussion during this actor's scene onstage). Most actors that I know have had similar thoughts, but haven't carried them out.

At the beginning of each of our shows an announcement is made welcoming the audience and then giving them a few simple rules. One of those simple rules is: "Flash photography, cameras and recording equipment of any kind are not allowed in the theater." Seems reasonable to me. Clear, concise and easy to understand.

Let's review the reasons flash photography is not allowed:

1) It blinds the actors. They could fall and break something.

2) It is rude. It distracts other theater goers who might not like a bright flash to occur during their theater going experience.

3) It is illegal. The set designer, costume designer, director, choreographer, writer, prop designer are all artists who have created a piece of art. Copyright laws are broken when someone takes a picture of their work without their permission.

4) Did I mention it blinds the actors?

Even with the pre-show announcement and the fact that it is also written in the program, there are inevitably people who don't know any better. A flash will go off here and there. When that happens, the House Manager politely asks them to stop. This usually works. However, one day we were besieged. It was as if a group of people had carefully planned their attack. Here is what I imagine their meeting sounded like:

MARY: OK. We'll take a few flash pictures during the show. Not too many - we don't want to get caught.

BRUNO: That's right. I just got out of the joint. Food's terrible! I'll sit in the left of the theatre. Mary, you sit in the right.

SPIKE: I'll sit in the middle of the theatre, so they can't get to me. Besides, I still got that warrant out on me.

MARY: Good thinking, Spike! During the finale, take as many flash pictures as you can. I don't see any cops! The car's waiting out back.

SPIKE: Got it!

During our finale, we sang: "Keep a Positive Attitude". As you might imagine, it is an upbeat, happy, optimistic song, and we were all smiling and singing our hearts out. That's when Spike clicked off at least five flash pictures in a row. Bruno and Mary were clicking away as well. I had held it in for as long as I could. But we all have our breaking point. This Bunny's carrot cracked.

You see my photograph. I don't look very intimidating. Actually, I am almost 5'9" and dressed like a...bunny, so I had that going for me. We were all being blinded by the constant flash. The cast kept smiling and singing. But like I said, my carrot had cracked.

I stepped out of the line and toward the audience. I held up my hand like Diana Ross when she sings: "Stop in the Name of Love". I looked right at the perpetrator and shook my head: "NO!" I wasn't smiling. I had lost my positive attitude. I was thinking about the kids. How they had performed through sickness and health, broken shoelaces and ripped pants. Struggled with keeping up at school, and all of the drama that we all went through at that age. And yet, here they were singing and dancing and smiling only to be blinded by Spike.

The flashing stopped. I stepped back in line. I put my smile back on. I finished singing and dancing with the cast.

Did I do the right thing? I felt badly for the 700+ other audience members who weren't taking pictures. But it had to be done. A lesson had to be learned. Hopefully those people who felt compelled to take pictures of the cast won't do it anymore. And if I have saved even one bunny from being flashed, well then, it was worth it.

MADELINE'S CHRISTMAS

2008-12-18T20:33:00.000-08:00

Playwright Jennifer Kirkeby and Composer Shirley Mier at GREAT Theatre

Photo by Mick Kirkeby

Madeline's Christmas at Stages Theatre Company, 2007
Photos by Bruce Challgren

In an old house in Paris
That was covered with vines
Lived twelve little girls
In two straight lines.
They left the house at half-past nine
In two straight lines, in rain or shine.
The smallest one was MADELINE.

Madeline’s Christmas by Ludwig Bemelmans, was originally written as a special book insert in the 1956 Christmas edition of McCall’s. The book was published in 1985. In 2003, composer Shirley Mier and I were fortunate enough to be asked to adapt this classic tale of the beloved and ever spunky Madeline for the Stages Theatre Company.

Since that time, Madeline’s Christmas has been published by Dramatic Publishing Company. It has been produced in over fifty theatres in the U.S. This year it is being performed in the following theatres:

Dallas Children’s Theatre, Dallas, TX
Milpitas Rainbow Theatre, Milpitas, CA
Roanoke Children’s Theatre, Roanoke, VA
Berkshire Children’s Theater, Pittsfield, MA
Horizon Theatre Company, Atlanta, GA
Harwich Junior Theatre, West Harwich, MA
Premier Arts, Elkhart, IN
Project DayDream, Birmingham, MI
Theatre of Youth Company, Inc., Buffalo, NY
Cretin-Derham Hall H.S., St. Paul, MN
California Theatre Center, Sunnyvale, CA
A Magical Journey Through Stage, Rochester, NY
Town Hall Theatre, Dayton, OH
Great River Educational Arts, St. Cloud, MN
Germantown Community Theatre, Germantown, TN
Stebens Children’s Theatre, Mason City, IA
Spokane Children’s Theatre, Spokane, WA
Oakcrest School, McLean, VA
BroadHollow Theatre Company, East Islip, NY

Here is the description of the musical which can be found on Dramatic Publishing’s website: http://www.dramaticpublishing.com/

"In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines." So begins this delightful story of Madeline's Christmas! The day begins like any other day. Miss Clavel takes the twelve little girls on their morning walk. They go to the zoo and then back to school for their French history lesson. Suddenly disaster strikes when everyone gets the flu! Everyone that is, except for the ever-resilient Madeline. Saddened that they may not be able to go home for Christmas, the girls and Miss Clavel take to their beds. But on Christmas Eve, the adventure begins when there is a knock at the front door. Expecting to see Santa, Madeline meets the Rug Merchant who has brought twelve very special rugs. He reminds Madeline that Christmas is the time of miracles, and that these are not ordinary rugs! Soon everyone wakes up feeling healthy. The Rug Merchant shows them that they each have a magic carpet and that they can fly home to be with their families for Christmas! After saying goodbye to the girls, Miss Clavel finds a present that the girls left for her, befriends a little mouse, and counts her many blessings singing: "Everything Is Right Tonight." Before you know it, the girls fly back to the Old House and are together again on New Year's Eve. They thank Madeline for taking care of them and making their Christmas so special!"

I have told a lot of people that adapting this story into a musical was a labor of love. It really was. Like many young girls, I grew up reading the Madeline books, and I read them to my own daughters as well. Creating the world in which Madeline, the twelve little girls, Miss Clavel, Mrs. Murphy, and the rug merchant (I named him Harsha), live was magical.

Part of the agreement for me to be able to adapt Ludwig Bemelmans’ book was to stay true to his original story. Also, the play had to be approved by Barbara Bemelmans, Ludwig’s daughter. And this approval happened after I had put countless hours into the script and lyrics. Luckily, Barbara gave it the thumbs up, and she even gave me some feedback as to what she felt her father would and wouldn’t have written in certain scenes. She told me that it was very important that the “twelve little girls” always show respect, especially to Miss Clavel. She even gave me some suggestions for names of the girls. I will always be grateful to her for helping me to forward the script in that way.

As with any adaptation, there were questions that I needed to answer for the audience. Why did everyone but Madeline get sick? There isn’t any explanation in the book. I decided that Madeline was the only one who remembered to wear her scarf when they go on their morning walk. Being a mom and raising my girls in a cold climate, I thought this might help a few parents while trying to encourage their children to dress warmly.

I also wanted the twelve little girls to be different from one another. On the page they are somewhat like a Greek chorus with their collective “boo hoo’s” and precise straight lines. To give them individuality, I gave them all names and different traits. The more challenging parts of the story occur when the magician makes the dishes move by themselves, and when all of the girls fly on magic carpets to go home for Christmas. One of the great things about being a playwright is that you can write things like: “Plates magically move on cupboard.” “Girls fly on magic carpets by the Eiffel tower.” Then the director and tech crew have meetings and decide how that is going to work!

The first production at Stages Theatre Company of Madeline’s Christmas in 2004 is still the top selling show in the theatre’s history. Last year I was asked to play Miss Clavel for the second production at Stages. It was a delight, and being on the other side of the stage performing 51 shows during the holidays gave me a whole new perspective!

This year I was fortunate enough to be able to see a few of the productions of Madeline’s Christmas. The first one was at the Dallas Children’s Theater. Robyn Flatt, the Artistic Director, the staff, cast and crew were gracious and inviting. My husband, Mick and I were welcomed warmly the minute we entered the lobby. Robyn Flatt gave us a tour of their impressive theatre space. This year is DCT’s 25th anniversary, so prior to the opening show, Robyn gave a speech and then introduced me to the audience. I told them how excited I was to have the opportunity to see the production, and what a great time my husband and I were having in Dallas.

The production was beautiful. Everything from the rich and whimsical set designed by Randel Wright and direction and choreography by Nancy Schaeffer, to the wonderful cast was absolutely delightful. Madeline and the twelve girls were double cast, and fortunately we were able to see both. The flying scene was amazing! I wish that I could thank everyone by name, but I don’t have enough room. Thank you, DCT!

Composer Shirley Mier and I went to see Madeline’s Christmas in St. Cloud, Minnesota at the GREAT Theatre. (Great River Educational Arts Theatre.) They perform in the gorgeous Historic Paramount Theatre. We were welcomed at once by Artistic Director, Dennis Whipple. The theatre was full, and we enjoyed watching the lovely production. GREAT Theatre also double cast the show, which is a challenge during the rehearsal process, but ultimately gave more people the chance to perform. (And a double cast is always very helpful if someone should forget to wear their scarf and get sick!)

After the show, Shirley and I spoke to the cast, crew, and season ticket members, and answered some questions.

“How long did it take to write Madeline’s Christmas?”
I keep telling myself that I need to keep track the next time I write a play. Madeline’s Christmas was at least a year in the making, but that includes outlines, rewrites, waiting for approval, etc.

“How many other theatres have performed Madeline’s Christmas?” Over fifty.

“How did you write the songs?”
I wrote the lyrics and then Shirley Mier wrote the music.

“Who is your favorite character?”
All of them, of course!

Merci to all of the theatres who are performing Madeline’s Christmas! It is such an amazing feeling to listen to the words that you have written being performed onstage with such enthusiasm, excitement and truth. I am indeed fortunate to have had this opportunity, and I am truly grateful.

I wish you all the Happiest of Holidays, a very Merry Christmas, and a joyful and healthy New Year!

Foxy

2008-11-28T07:35:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of our late dog, Foxy. We were blessed to have her in our lives for thirteen years. We got her from a dog shelter in Chicago, Illinois, and she was the best dog anyone could ever hope for. We know that she was part collie. We were never sure what the other part was, nor did we care. We loved her exactly as she was.

She could sneeze on cue, and she loved to chase the light from a flashlight. But her favorite activity was to chase the water from sprinklers. When she would see those blasting streams of liquid, she was gone. Nothing could hold her back. It was as if she was a race horse and the gate had opened. She would chase the rotating sprinkler around and around. She would put her face right up to the nozzle and try to attack the water with quick successive bites. It was impossible to stop this ritual. I would run after her, but inevitably I would end up dizzy and soaking wet.

Foxy was a wonderful pet for our girls as they grew up. When my daughters were very young, Foxy would pull them through the snow while they sat on their bright plastic sled. We would shout: "Mush! Mush!" while pretending that we were on an Antarctic expedition. She was always gentle and kind, and even ended up in many of the plays that our girls performed in our basement. Foxy was generally cast as the horse, the cow, or some other four-legged animal. However, towards the end of her life when it was hard for her to walk around, Foxy played the coveted role of a princess. She lay on a silk covered pillow wearing a tiara while the play was presented. She didn't want to be left out.

The day that we had to have Foxy put to sleep was one of the hardest days of my life. My husband and I wept after the vet left the room. I stayed after my husband left the room, hugged her, and sang her a song that I have not been able to sing since.

I lasted three days. It felt more like three months being without her. We were all in mourning. There was a hole in our family. We could no longer hear the clicking of her nails as she came to greet us, pet her fur that was as soft as silk, or look into those sweet brown eyes. Clearly something had to be done.

My husband left on his annual golf trip. This seemed like a good time for me to see what kind of dogs were for sale in the paper. Oh, I know, I know. You're supposed to wait a while before you buy a new pet after one has died. But I have never been known for my patience. Besides, I wanted to make my girls feel better!

There are so many different breeds these days, it was hard to know where to begin. But I knew that the only way we could get a new dog was to follow my husband's criteria:

1. It had to be small.
2. It couldn't shed.
3. It would be a plus if I wasn't allergic to it like I am to a lot of animals.

I searched the Internet and there was the perfect breed for us! Schnoodles! A Schnoodle is a cross between a Schnauzer and a Poodle. Some of them are small. Check. They don't shed. Check. They are hypo-allergenic. Check!

My husband agreed that the girls and I could go and "look" at some puppies while he was gone. You can write the rest. Well, there is a twist. See, we have two daughters, so I kind of ended up getting two Schnoodles. Their names are Snickerdoodle (we call her Snickers for short) and Sadie. They are adorable, frisky and funny. They don't sneeze on cue, they don't chase the light from a flashlight, and they don't try to bite the water from sprinklers. But they do snuggle. And they love to swim. They can catch frisbees. And we can always hear the clicking sounds as they run to greet us. Their fur isn't as soft as Foxy's was, but it's still nice. And I can see the love when I look into their sweet brown eyes.

What did my husband say about this new development? Well, I kind of left a message on his phone. I didn't want to interrupt his golf game after all. Yes, he was surprised. Quite surprised, actually. But once he meet Snickers and Sadie, he fell in love with them too.

As for me, I would do it all over again. I love the little rascals. We have had them for four years, and I hope that they are with us for many, many more. But we will always, always love Foxy. She's the princess of them all.

Playwrighting Class

2008-11-24T18:20:00.000-08:00

Tonight I finished an 8-week Playwrighting class. There were about ten of us, and we came from all walks of life. One lady had always wanted to write a one-woman show. Another woman owned her own catering business, and had been taking writing classes for several years. There was a man who worked all night at the post office, and an older man who had been in theatre his whole life. There were several actors who wanted to try their hand at the art of Playwrighting. And there were people who have had plays published and just needed a jump start. That would be me.

I'm not sure what motivates a person to want to write a play. I mean, why not a novel? Or a short story? What is it about creating a world that people may some day come and watch that is so thrilling? And news flash: there aren't big bucks for most Playwrights. I know, I know. I was shocked too.

It was fascinating to listen to the plays that each person was working on. Every week we would listen to about twenty pages of someone's script. There was a very intense man who was writing a play in which a man was being interrogated by a Priest. It was riveting and violent. He created a world that there was no escaping, and that any of us might find ourselves in if we made the wrong choice.

A women who is a professional opera singer wrote a play that was about the most disfunctional family I have ever heard of trying to have a nice, family Christmas. It was hysterical. And we could all relate.

Another play was about an old man dying in a nursing home for Vets. He was tortured by the visions he had seen during World War II. We all felt the pain and agony that he was experiencing, wanted to help him, but knew there was only one way for him to find peace.

My play was about a reunion of girlfriends. The premise is that they get together for a film that is being made about what happens over time to women who were once best friends. A lot of things go wrong: food is burnt, a busy-body neighbor keeps bothering them, secrets are revealed, but ultimately they all make discoveries about each other, themselves, and what is really important in life. I'm hoping it will be brilliant someday.

There was a quiet, handsome guy with a twinkle in his eye that wrote a murder mystery. His characters romped, gossiped, flirted, had affairs, and then BAM! Someone was killed. But by whom? Unfortunately we ran out of time to finish our plays, but we have all promised each other that we are going to get together in a few months and hear them.

In the meantime, I will continue to work on my play. A play that may never be seen, but that lives in my imagination, that is real to me, with characters whom I care about, laugh with, and enjoy. I can think of worse ways to spend one's time.

Facebook Fiasco

2008-11-14T16:49:00.000-08:00

When I decided to join Facebook, my daughters didn't seem too delighted. As a matter of fact, they had been discouraging me from entering into this unknown-to-me-world, primarily because: "It's for young people, mom!" I resisted for some time. I told my daughters that if I did join Facebook, it was o.k. if they didn't want to be my “friend”. I wanted them to continue to feel perfectly free to share their innermost feelings with their “friends” without their mom looking on. I mean, seriously! However, when my girlfriend moved across the country and told me that Facebook was the best way for her to stay in touch, I took the plunge.

Unfortunately, both of my daughters were away at college, so I couldn't ask them to help me set it up. I was determined, however. I forged ahead. I put on my reading glasses. That helped right away. Amazingly, I actually figured it out by myself. I have yet to understand how one adds photos and all of the necessary accoutrements, but I decided that there is time for all of that later. After all, I was now a member! Part of the elite club. I watched and waited. The anticipation built. How many friends would I make, anyway? Ten? Twenty? Or ...dare I even dream? Fifty?!? Wait. Did I even have any friends besides my girlfriend who moved to Arizona? It's not as if I've been a great correspondent over the years.

And then it happened. I made a friend. And then another. And before I knew it, I made more. And more. Facebook is kind of like a fungus. It just grows and grows. I began to enter names from my past. A few of them emerged. Most of them allowed me into their Facebook world. The ones who didn’t probably knew I wasn’t ready. I made more friends in a week than I had made in the last ten years.

I should have been suspicious right then and there. I should have seen it coming. But I was too excited counting my new friends! Twenty five, twenty six… eighty! And then, there it was. A message from …my dad. OMG! He is eighty years old, and I love him to death. He still rides a bike almost everyday. And he doesn’t just ride around the block, kids. Oh no. He rides fifty to sixty miles each time he goes out. He puts most of us to shame. But being the amazing father that he is, he didn’t just open a Facebook account which I apparently invited him to do. He posted pictures. OF HIS KIDS!!!

Suddenly, there I am in front of all of my new friends in a bathing suit, wearing no make-up, my hair slicked back, scowling at my precious nephew as I was trying to teach him to dive into a pool last summer. Apparently I hadn’t had Botox in a while, either. I texted my daughters for advice. They told me that now I knew how they felt. Oh what a tangled web we weave! I knew the ball was in my court.

I emailed my dad. “Hi Dad! How are you? I see that you are on Facebook. Cool! Would you please remove the picture of me by the pool in my bathing suit with no make-up, my hair slicked back, scowling at John as I was trying to teach him to dive? Love, Jennifer.” He removed the picture.

I haven’t actually talked to him since then. Oh, we’ve emailed. But we didn’t mention “the photo.” So, I wonder. Is Facebook a good thing for me? For my dad? Or would we have been better off just leaving it to whom it was first intended: The cool young people that my daughters are, that I once was, that my father perhaps still thinks I am. I suppose time will tell. In the meantime, I now have ninety nine friends, and if you think I’m stopping now honey, you just don’t know me at all!