BWW Reviews: ELEPHANT AND PIGGIE'S WE ARE IN A PLAY Delivers Fun for the Whole Family At Kennedy Center

If you're the parent of a child aged 10 or younger, chances are you've heard of the best-selling "Elephant and Piggie" books, by best-selling author and Emmy Award-winning writer Mo Willems. But you may not have heard of the musical "Elephant and Piggie's We Are in a Play," because the show just began its world premiere at Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center Family Theater.

Running now through December 31, 2013, the show is written by Willems and directed by Jerry Whiddon, with music by Deborah Wicks La Puma. The show is recommended for ages 4 and up and the performance on Saturday, December 28 at 11 a.m. is sensory-friendly.

Based on six of Willems's books, Elephant & Piggie's We Are in a Play! has the duo singing and dancing their way through peril and suspense, facing fundamental questions such as: What do you wear to a fancy pool costume party? Should you share your ice cream? And how can two friends play with one toy? Backed by the four-piece band Dr. Cat and the Bear-a-Tones and nutty backup singers The Squirrelles, all take part in the fun.

I had the privilege of attending the show with my three nephews, ages 7, 5 and 3, and their parents. All three boys are big fans of the books, and I theorized that seeing the show through their eyes and getting their opinions would be the best way to review the show. The 3-year-old is closer to 4 than 3, but he was by far not the youngest person in the audience, so if you have children younger than the recommended minimum age of 4, don't worry that you'll be turned away. Babies and young toddlers might not get as much out of the show, but the standards for noise and disruption are more lax in the Family Theater than in the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater and Opera House.

Costume designer Kathleen Geldard opted for simplicity rather than elaborate masks and costumes, with Elephant dressed in a gray jacket, pants and glasses and Piggie dressed in a pink dress with pigtails resembling ears. A kid-friendly leaflet accompanying the program explained that the goal was for children to use their imaginations regarding the costumes. Whether "less is more" regarding animal costumes is a matter of personal preference, but it might be wise to prepare children ahead of time that the actors on stage will bear little resemblance to the illustrated characters in the book and that plenty of imagination is needed.

The band is talented and the songs are well-written, but our group got the most enjoyment out of the silly dialogue. While we might have preferred slightly shorter, sillier songs as opposed to the full-length numbers, it's once again a matter of personal preference.

The Kennedy Center's Family Theater was a first for our group, and we were impressed. The seating is stadium style, unlike the Kennedy Center's other theaters, so young children don't have to worry about not being able to see over the head of the person in front of them. The performance runs about an hour with no intermission, and snacks are available outside the theater for purchase.

Our consensus? Elephant and Piggie's We Are in a Play was a fun experience, and a great way to introduce your child to theater.

Performances of Elephant and Piggie's We Are in a Play run in the Kennedy Center Family Theater now through December 31, 2013. Seats are $20-$25. Visit the Kennedy Center website at www.kennedy-center.org or by calling Instant Charge at (202) 467-4600.

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