A FAIRY TALE SPICED WITH GOOD HUMOR

A pinch of “Oz,” a dash of “Cinderella,” a few dollops of “The Snow Queen” and “Snow White” make up the Glendale Centre Theatre’s latest children’s offering, “The Popsicle Palace.” Billed as a new fairy tale, the show is really a mild fairy-tale hash spiced with good humor.

In the musical written by Lee Rooklin and Jodi Rogaway (who also directs), with an uneven score by Noel Katz, a mysterious wind sweeps three kids and a cat into the land of Figment, ruled by the evil and vain Popsicle Witch (Lisa Erickson). The Witch has stopped time so she’ll never be older than 29 and frozen all creatures younger than herself with a wave of her magic popsicle stick. Legend has it that a brave lion will save the day.

Enter Calico the Cat (Paul Shelby), who would rather sleep in the sun than chase a mouse, much less a witch. Valor wins out and after 90 minutes (including intermission) comes the happy ending.

The cast, a mix of the amateur and professional, has a standout in Shelby. In orange patchwork cat-suit, Shelby’s Calico is a soft-hearted, gravelly voiced tough. He and the Witch’s henchmen (Don Cohn and Meghan Jones) possess comic timing lacking in the rest of the cast.

B. .J Heft is effective as Tuxedo Jones, a warmly avuncular penguin who shares a humorous duet with Shelby about the differences between lions and cats. That number, and an early rousing chorus with Shelby, James Cude, Brett Martin and Stephanie Plumley (playing kids Harvey, Philip and Lisa, respectively), are the show’s best.

The second act gets a bit muddled--too many unnecessary songs with unwieldy lyrics have been added like leftovers to the pot--and the show wears long.

Erickson seems a little lost at times, but her swaggering entrance in lion tamer’s garb is a high point.

Cynthia Payo’s twittery Mrs. Otter is remarkably cheerful over the fate of her otter pup--who’s become one of the Witch’s ice sculptures. The otter pup’s walk-on in the finale is a delight--in a tiny otter suit, tiny toddler Jessica Payo captures the audience without a word.

Debbie Gluck’s costumes are fine, as is Jack Hazelton’s spare set design and the uncredited lighting. But a more generous measure of expertise and a sharp paring knife would improve this recipe.

Performances continue at 324 N. Orange St. through Nov. 28 on Saturdays at 2 p.m. Tickets: $3.50-$5. (818) 244-8481.