FOR SCR COMPOSER, MUSIC TURNS INTO CHILD’S PLAY

Hey! Step right up! Tempting words all juicy and plump.

Nice, ripe words for sale. Step right up, take a fancy pair.

Best quality words are here, enrich your vocabulary, my dear. “Words!” by Diane King

When Diane King began writing songs for the children’s musical “The Phantom Tollbooth,” which opens Saturday nd runs through June 1 at South Coast Repertory Theatre’s Second Stage, she faced the challenge of creating compositions that would enlighten, even educate, but not bore or alienate youngsters.

SCR’s 33-year-old resident composer decided it was best not to underestimate her audience. Her lyrics--which stress better language skills (“Words!”), outline ways to fight laziness (“The Doldrums”) and offer clues to the magic of geometry (“Dodecahedron”)--don’t talk down to children and instead try to intrigue through unusual phrasings, King said.

“Kids are pretty bright and want to learn; you just have to present any messages in an interesting and sincere way,” King explained during a recent rehearsal at SCR.

Then there’s the music. King said she wanted to develop up-tempo beats that reflect what youngsters play at home and listen to on the radio. Not exactly punk rock, she says, but, to paraphrase Chuck Berry, something with a good back beat.

“I definitely had to pick up the beat on some of the songs. There is one slower ballad, but most of them have a pretty fast tempo,” said King, of El Toro. “I think kids are open to all sorts of music, and as long as it isn’t too sophisticated or difficult, they usually like it.”

She paused, a trace of worry showing in her face. “Gosh, I hope they get it. You know, I’m counting on that. Oh they will; kids are so accepting (of music). It really is so much a part of their lives.”

The dreamy quality of “The Phantom Tollbooth” made it an ideal vehicle for her songs, King said. The play, by Susan Nanus, has a whimsy that gave her freedom to experiment, while presenting the educational themes King incorporated in her lyrics.

The musical was a well-known children’s book before Nanus adapted it into a play. SCR bought the rights to it six months ago, named SCR member Diane Doyle as director and asked King to compose the songs and background music. It’s the third and final production in SCR’s “KIDscription” season.

Her five songs link the action as Milo, the brazen hero, embarks on a series of fantastic journeys from his bedroom that begin with his entering a mysterious tollbooth. Milo encounters villains, new friends and assorted zany characters as he travels toward the forbidden Mountains of Ignorance.

“It’s really a morality tale, and I enjoyed working on it because there is so much fantasy involved,” King said. “The off-the-wall stuff is very fun, with goblins and other strange things throughout.”

King’s responsibilities go beyond conjuring notes and words at the piano. She leads the resident ensemble of 28 youngsters, all from Orange County and 9 to 17 years old, through the melodies and helps them improve their singing. The cast--all members of SCR’s Young Conservatory Players--rehearses three times a week, and King joins in at least once a week, she said.

Despite the young cast and the musical’s fanciful notions, King is optimistic that parents and other adults will enjoy the production.

King will be featured in more adult fare at SCR beginning June 7 when “Tomfoolery” opens. She will join four other SCR members in a musical tribute to Tom Lehrer, the 1960s troubadour who tweaked the Establishment with his satirical songs.

The musical runs through June 29 and features such Lehrer compositions as “The Old Dope Pusher,” “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park” and “The Vatican Rag.” Besides singing, King is the musical director.

King, a graduate of Cal State Fullerton, has honed her musical skills during her nearly eight-year association with SCR as a performer, teacher and composer. She has appeared in several SCR musicals and wrote the music for some of its other productions, including last year’s “Galileo” by Bertolt Brecht.

“It’s been a great experience for me,” she said of her time at SCR. “It’s (performing and composing) what I’ve always wanted to do. I guess I’m one of those lucky people.”