BWW JR: WONDERLAND- Perfect for Tea (and Birthday) Parties

On one hand, the new Frank Wildhorn musical is based on (or a take-off on) the classic children's book "Alice in Wonderland." I knew my daughter would love Wildhorn's pop stylings and I could see from the cast list that we were in for some amazing vocal performances. There's even a little girl in the cast, and kids love to see shows that have other kids in them. But I still couldn't tell if this was really a "kids" show or just an adult show inspired by a children's book.

Ultimately, I decided not to bring my daughter and because I happen to have the world's most over-sensitive kid, I'm glad I made the choice. While she would have loved the White Night's boy-band dance numbers (admit it: you loved Boyz II Men too) and the outlandish costumes worn by even more outlandish characters, there was often a dark, nightmarish tone that I thought seemed inappropriate for a little kid who tends to take the show home with her after we leave the theatre.

Lucky for me, I have a terrific readership full of parents with kids of all ages and one of them offered to help me out. Sarah is a mom from Westchester who was recently having a hard time trying to pick out a show for her daughter Julia's ninth birthday. Sarah thought Julia would like Wonderland, but worried about the other two girls who would make up the birthday party.

"I hemmed and hawed....I know my daughter's sensitivities really well, but I didn't know the other girls'," she said.

Weeks before the big party, Sarah took the plunge and invested in four seats to Wonderland for herself, the birthday girl and two friends.

"Honestly, it couldn't have gone better", she reports. "They loved the show. They followed it, there was nothing inappropriate that I had to explain, it was fast-paced and the talent was amazing."

To be fair, this was a pretty sophisticated and savvy group of third graders. Julia and her friends Isha and Sarah have been to Broadway shows before and have all performed in community theatre. But that didn't jade them to Wonderland's charms.

"I was missing half the show because I was watching their faces," says Sarah. "They were mesmerized. I was worried there would be scary episodes but there weren't."

Of course that all depends on the kid. I can promise you that my daughter would have spent a large part of the show with her face buried in my tricep (Mushy and comforting. Like a pillow).

"I liked the visual effects," says birthday girl Julia. "I liked the Looking Glass scene. I thought that song was really catchy."

"I liked it because it was scary and interesting at the same time," says third-grader Isha. "My favorite character was the Mad Hatter!"

Nine-year-old Sarah's favorite part was when the Mad Hatter was introduced. "They did really cool dancing and the Mad Hatter's singing was really amazing."

In the end, our mom from Westchester gives the show "A huge thumbs up for a birthday party with a small group. I'm so glad we did it." Sarah also thinks the show would make a great field trip for schools. "I was a fun and entertaining two hours."

While I still think I made the right decision to leave my seven-year-old at home, there were certainly moments during Wonderland when I wished she was there with me, and not just because it would fill in some of the time over Spring Break (Oh My God that was a long time to have the kids home from school!). There were funny and tender moments that I think would have contributed to the evolution of this little theatre fan I'm trying to raise. Moments of pure silliness like the boy band numbers or the music video style scenes that introduce each character, and moments full of meaning as grown-up Alice discovers her own inner child.

But like Alice, I too learned something from a rabbit and his watch: "That time is fleeting." Like they say in the show's finale Finding Wonderland: "We move too fast." My daughter will have plenty of time to see shows that lean older, and I'm in no rush to push her. Luckily there's enough out there for her to see while we're waiting to grow up! (And I hope that's no time soon).

GET TO THE POINT, MOM!

• A good show for older kids who can appreciate cool visual effects, great voices and music-video style numbers.
• Best for mature nine-year-olds and older.
• Wednesday through Saturday at 8, Wednesday and Saturday at 2, Sunday at 3, Tuesday at 7.
• Tickets range from $45.00 to $140.00
• For more info visit the show's web site: www.WonderlandonBroadway.com.
• You loved New Kids on the Block, too. Don't lie.