STAGE REVIEW : Children Slay ‘Pink Dragon’ With Warmth, Enthusiasm

Despite some tongue-twisting dialogue and a few tricky songs, the Newport Theatre Arts Center’s “The Pale Pink Dragon” is a show full of warmth and good fun.

The 22 children in the production of songs, dances and dialogue deliver 22 enthusiastic performances and are obviously having a ball. “The Pale Pink Dragon,” directed by Blair Cross, is the center’s first children’s production. If all goes well, another play will follow in the spring.

The show, written in the early 1960s by Phyllis McCallum, with words and lyrics by Jean Tandowsky and Pru Holden, was first performed by the now-defunct Children’s Theatre Guild of the center in 1965. It’s a colorful tale of a kindly princess and her triumph over her evil stepmother and stepsister.

A rather slow beginning with wordy opening dialogue and some difficult music peaks dramatically with the appearance of Princess Pinkie, and attention is sustained until the end.

Some of the words are simply too difficult for the children to pronounce easily, and some of the musical notes are hard for them to reach. But their efforts are adorable and their enthusiasm entertaining.

Among the strongest performances are Monika Johnson as Princess Pea Green; Heather Schneider as Queen Contemptua and Molly Mary Rossen as the Witch. Also good are Julieanne Kettley, Jennifer Groskreutz and Jennifer Kettley as Pinkie’s handmaidens, Rick Kettley as Sir Edward Thrush and Tamara Hawryliak as Princess Pinkie.

Last Sunday the children had to overcome a few wrinkles in pursuit of a smooth production: A distracting clatter in the lighting overhead drowned out a few lines, and the paper trees unfurled with a bit of clutter. But again, enthusiasm triumphed and the strength of the script overshadowed the few technical problems.

The trials of the villagers before Queen Contemptua and the lively negotiations between Pea Green and the Witch are two particularly strong scenes. When Mary (played well by yet another Kettley, this time Katherine) is caught wearing green, Princess Pea Green’s exclusive color, Queen Contemptua bans all reference to green: “Henceforth, they will not be known as green grocers, simply grocers!” And when the Witch is asked to turn Princess Pinkie into a dragon, the Witch responds: “A dragon takes too much of my wicked energy. It could leave me . . . good.”

Colorful costumes by LaVerne Healy and several mothers of the performers enliven a simple set and lighting. The musical arrangements are directed by Terence Alaric.

Perhaps the most heartwarming moment of the show can be credited to tiny Heidi Groskreutz for her silent dance as a dragonfly. And the flowers, played by Alexandra Harman, Courtney Long and Steven Saftig, are also pretty darn cute.

“The Pale Pink Dragon” will be staged at the Newport Theatrecq Arts Center, 2501 Cliff Drive, Newport Beach, today and Sunday at 2 and 4 p.m. Admission: $1. Information: (714) 631-0288.