A Take-Charge Cinderella

With tuneful songs, good humor and a heroine for the ‘90s, the Dallas Children’s Theater’s well-crafted touring production of “Cinderella, or Everybody Needs a Fairy Godmother,” is a welcome Southland visitor. Its weeklong tour, the company’s first appearance in the L.A. area, ends with performances this weekend at Haugh Performing Arts Center and Victor Valley College.

Don’t expect the usual sweet and tearful heroine, passively accepting her magical rescue. When this Cinderella (Mauri McLaughlin) doesn’t have a way to get to the ball, she decides to walk the muddy miles to the palace, wearing rubber boots under her fancy gown. Then, when her triumphant evening wakes her up to a life beyond scrubbing floors and bemoaning her misfortune, this Cinderella decides she’s outta there, packing up her few worldly goods and saying goodbye to her wicked stepfamily.

Don’t worry, though. A royal fate still awaits.

Cinderella’s take-charge attitude is just fine with Fairy Godmother (Vickers Wilson), whose mission in life, aided by her leprechaun helpers (Martin D. Mussey and Douglas Miller), is to give deserving folks practical encouragement along with magic spells.

With smart writing by playwright Linda Daugherty and enjoyable music and lyrics by Andy Gordon, the show, for ages 5 to 12, manages to convey the desirability of taking responsibility for one’s own life--”You have choices to make/There are chances to take”--with a light touch and a sense of fun.

The capable cast, directed by Cheryl Denson, performs with polish. McLaughlin combines strength and sweetness, matched nicely by Jeffrey Wells’ handsome, understanding Prince. Wilson’s cheer-leading Fairy Godmother is upbeat and uncloying and as the selfish stepsisters, Holly Aeres McGee and Jhea Fulgaro are comic standouts. Their relief at not being chosen by the Prince, since it means their mother (Wendy Wester) will get off their backs and they can stop pretending to be something they’re not, is a nice touch.

The cast was over-miked at its first outing at Smothers Theatre last weekend, but Nancy Schaefer’s choreography is zippy, Zak Herring’s modest, nicely painted revolving set adds visual variety and Mark Hankla’s light design enhances the smooth proceedings.

* “Cinderella, or Everybody Needs a Fairy Godmother,” Saturday, 2 p.m.: Citrus College, Haugh Performing Arts Center, 1000 W. Foothill Blvd., Glendora, $5, (818) 963-9411. Sunday, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.: Victor Valley College, Victorville, $4-$7, (619) 245-4271, Ext. 370. Running time: 1 hour.

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The bookstore and art gallery Storyopolis serves up a lively commemoration of Black History Month on Saturday with “Jammin’ Jazz Jubilee,” a family-friendly tribute to jazz.

The event kicks off with a late-morning “Jazz-y Craft & Story Hour,” where participants will make musical instruments and listen to tall tale-spinning by storyteller Sybil Desta (KCOP’s “LA Kids”). Noted artist Synthia St. James, chosen as the 1997 Kwanzaa stamp illustrator, will also be on hand to sign her new children’s book, “Sunday.”

The evening’s activities, aimed at ages 10 to adult, include “Jazz Stories” with musician-composer-writer Ben Sidran on piano and reading from “Talking Jazz,” a collection of his conversations with jazz greats. The spotlight will also be on an exhibition of children’s book art by African Americans, including portraits of jazz artists by Morgan Monceaux from “Jazz: My Music, My People.” Blue Note recording artist Everett Harp will perform.

* “Jammin’ Jazz Jubilee,” Storyopolis, 116 N. Robertson Blvd., Plaza A, Saturday. “Jazz-y Craft & Story Hour”: 11:30 a.m. “Jazz Stories”: 6 p.m. Free, except $6 per craft participant. Reservations required: (310) 358-2512.

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For sheer exuberance, it’s hard to match the Harlem children’s group Batoto Yetu, featuring young people ages 7 to 17 in a vivid celebration of African costume, music, song and dance. The New York troupe--the name means “our children” in Swahili--makes its first Los Angeles appearance at Veterans Wadsworth Theater this weekend.

Batoto Yetu, which has performed at the United Nations and Lincoln Center and has been featured on “Sesame Street,” is led by Angolan-born founder and artistic director Julio Leitao, who will present a pre-show lecture each day about the company and its goals and work.

* “Batoto Yetu,” Veterans Wadsworth Theatre, grounds of the West L.A. Veterans Administration, Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.; pre-show lecture at 1 p.m. Tickets are $22-$25, with half-price tickets for ages 16 and under available on Saturday. Information and reservations: (310) 825-2101.