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NYC Show Review: Wanda’s Monster

07/30/2013 by Maytal

by Senior Reviewer Maytal Wichman

Young kids are not always rational in their way of thinking. Sometimes there’s just nothing you can do when it comes to logic so when your child tells you there’s a monster in his closet, telling him monsters don’t exist might not help at all. We have to let kids confront their feelings, even if they’re irrational, and the musical Wanda’s Monster deals precisely with this issue.

Based on the children’s book by the same name (written by Eileen Spinelli), Wanda’s Monster is about a young girl who thinks there’s a monster in her closet. Her older 8-year-old brother tries to speak to her rationally and explains that monsters don’t exist. Her grandmother (who looks like a rocker and sings in her own band) tells Wanda that monsters are shy. Wanda slowly overcomes her fear and develops a friendship with the monster. (Read More after the jump).

pjz_wandas_monster_prod_apr182013_475

I recently saw the show with my kids and loved the poignant story, the top-notch performance and the music. Laura Hankin, who plays Wanda, has a very sweet voice – perfect for musicals! She could play all of the Disney princesses but she was fantastic in her portrayal as a little girl who’s not sure what to believe in. James M. Ortiz was adorable as the monster and very likable and cuddly (although my 4-year-old, as always, was a little afraid of him). The book was written by Barbara Zinn Krieger, founder of “Making Books Sing” – the only theater company of its kind dedicated to combining literacy with performing arts by creating professional theater works based on contemporary children’s books from diverse cultures.

The music was a lot of fun! Award-winning children’s recording artist Laurie Berkner proved, once again, she has a knack for understanding what children love and some of her songs (“Monster Boogie” and “Wanda, Whatcha Wanna Do”) were huge hits with the audience who were encouraged to participate throughout the show. The catchy tunes and the interactive show had everyone on their feet and when we left the theater we were still humming “Monster Boogie” to ourselves.

pjz_wandas_monster_prod_apr182013_705

Photos by Peter James Zielinski

I was not compensated for this post. I received complimentary tickets.

———————————————————————————————————————————————-

Senior Reviewer Maytal Wichman is the owner of Mama’s Bites and has also written for The Huffington Post. She has been living in New York City for twelve years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature as well as a Law Degree, but blogging is her true passion. Maytal is a stay-at-home mom to three kids (ages 6, 4 and a baby) and loves finding great products that make her family’s life easier.

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Filed Under: Featured, Kids, NYC, Reviews, Show Reviews, Toddlers Tagged With: "Making Books Sing", childrens musicals, Laurie Berkner, musicals for kids, musicals for toddlers, shows for toddlers, Wanda's Monster

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