Musical Stages: 'Junie B. Jones'

YOU MIGHT NOT REMEMBER your first grade teacher's name, where you sat at lunch or how you did in that first kickball game, but chances are you know exactly how each situation made you feel.

"Junie B. Jones" a musical based on the popular children's books by Barbara Park, seeks to funnel those first-grade emotions into a brisk musical aimed at children, but sophisticated enough for adults.

The play, which runs a scant 60 minutes, is based on four books in the series: "Junie B., First Grader (at Last!)," "Junie B., Boss of Lunch," "Junie B., One-Man Band" and "Top-Secret, Personal Beeswax Journal."

The traveling musical, produced by Theatreworks USA, stops at George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium on May 12 at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

The show's director, Nandita Shenoy, is involved in her 10th tour of the show. She originally started out as the show's choreographer, but when she stepped in as director Shenoy didn't try to change much about the already well-established production.

"The show that was created is really just a fantastic show, so I feel that my job is to re-create the original as opposed to something new," she said. "My challenge is to get honest and truthful performances out of new actors each time."

While the musical has no intermissions, Shenoy said she sees the play as having three seamless acts, divided up by the different books.

"The structure of the show is about Junie," Shenoy said. "The book is wonderful; it really tied all the stories together in a good way basically telling the story as she goes to first grade."

She sees the show as a progression for Junie, as she encounters growing obstacles through each act's new arc.

"The reason I think the show is brilliant, the structure of the show, is Junie has various obstacles and each obstacle becomes larger in the public world as we go through," Shenoy said. "First is the bus, then the lunch room then kick ball. ... It makes for a beautiful arc for Junie; she really has to deal with each obstacle on a gradually growing scale."

The show's main focus is on children, especially school groups, which makes everyone's job a bit different.

"I think performing for children is just an amazing experience for an actor because kids aren't going to politely clap even if they hate something," she said. "I tell my performers if [your energy goes] down in the performance you're going to lose the kids — that will be longest hour in your life. So, when I think about directing a show aimed at children rather than adults I do pay attention to the energy level and the pacing."

But at the same time, Shenoy said she wants adults to enjoy the show, too

"I don't want to create a show that panders to children in anyway because it's a sophisticated show and it's a tribute to the composer who created a show that's so universal and the parents appreciate the kids as much as the show does," she said.

Shenoy attributes the adult appeal to the show's strong characters.

"First of all, the characters are great — Junie. B is a great character," she said. "Anyone, even adults can relate to her. She's a very spunky kind of a can-do kid, a real problem solver. She asks lots of questions and is not someone who has the easiest time and sometimes things go wrong. There's something incredibly human and relatable in that."

But it all comes back to the kids.

"Amazingly, I love watching the show with kids," Shenoy said. "The tour was in town two weeks ago and I love watching it with children because you'll have these hundreds of children who are very squirmy, very chatty, very energetic. As soon as the lights go down they all start screaming like it's a rock concert. Then as the music starts it gets quiet. It's a testament to the actors because if you can get them to sit still and be quiet for 5 minutes, let alone an hour, that's an accomplishment."

» Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW; Mon., 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., $10 (but no tickets sold at the door); 800-595-4849. (Foggy Bottom-GWU)

Written by Express contributor Rudi Greenberg
Photos by Carol Rosegg