Review: CHARLOTTE'S WEB Spins Fun For All at Serenbe Playhouse

A fun, family-friendly way to celebrate Fourth of July weekend was seeing Serenbe Playhouse's production of Joseph Robinette's CHARLOTTE'S WEB, directed by Ryan Oliveti and performed outside at The Animal Village at the Serenbe Inn. The space provided rows of seats beneath trees for shade, as well as blankets in front for children to sit and experience life on the farm up-close with live animals in the background. The play was easily enjoyed by all ages though, with witty remarks by characters like Templeton the rat and sweet moments of genuine friendship between Wilbur and Charlotte. As Wilbur knowingly says, "Friendship is one of the most satisfying things in the world."

A highlight was the performance's interactive nature. Charlotte teaches the audience a short chorus of "oohs" to join in as she prepares to sing her song and spin her web into miraculous words describing Wilbur. The acoustic music sung throughout added a unique, musical storytelling quality and playfulness.

The performance on July 2 featured Anna Caudle as Fern & Others, Terrence Smith as Wilbur and Alex Towers as Homer & Others. Caudle portrayed the childish innocence of Fern and the wackiness of the goose with her dramatic facial expressions and differentiated voices. Hao Feng as Templeton & Others committed effortlessly to each distinctive character, whether it be Templeton, Fern's father or the farm helper. Smith as Wilbur and Bretteney Beverly as Charlotte were gentle and lovable making the true themes of CHARLOTTE'S WEB shine. Despite the heat, all of the cast members gave their all and did it well in this classic tale of loyalty, selflessness and the realities of life and death.

Serenbe Playhouse holds all of its shows outdoors in various spots within the Serenbe community. CHARLOTTE'S WEB runs May 27 through July 31 on Fridays and Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Run time is about an hour without intermission. To purchase tickets, visit Serenbe's website at serenbeplayhouse.com.

Photo Credit: Maggie Harney