As Director’s Plaything, ‘Babes in Toyland’ Suffers

One of the hit Broadway shows of 1903 was the first stage version of “The Wizard of Oz.” Soon forgotten, and later replaced in the public mind by the 1939 film version, it was immediately outshone by another 1903 success, “Babes in Toyland.”

Victor Herbert’s classic musical, being staged at La Habra Depot Theatre, has been around so long its melodies seem to be somewhere in everyone’s memory bank. Its simplistic, fairy-tale plot makes sense to the youngest audiences, and its innocence is always refreshing for grown-ups.

If people would only leave it alone. Today’s rethought versions usually only hint at its original charms, and much of the score has been dropped through the years.

Director Daniel Halkyard’s staging is no exception. In a pre-show speech, he explained that he has made “amendments” to involve the audience, in this case the hisses and boos of a melodrama.

But in a show such as “Babes in Toyland” especially, what the audience wants is to be taken into another world, an imaginary wonderland.

Halkyard’s melodrama audience involvement is a bit like putting the Three Stooges in “The Wizard of Oz.” It not only slows the action, but also, despite Halkyard’s brisk tempos and cohesive direction of a mostly young cast, comes across like hiccups at a poetry reading.

Aside from that, it’s a delightful show, with adults playing the major roles and very young performers in the roles of the Mother Goose characters. These include Tom the Piper’s Son (Justin Garms), with his purloined pig in his arms, to a very nimble Jack (Tyler Malm), whose jump over the candlestick is not as easy as he thought it would be.

The romantic leads, for they are betrothed, are quite young. Benjamin T. Vega as Alan and Shannon Runion as Contrary Mary have the charming air of fairy-tale romance and create believable characterizations. Although their voices aren’t powerful, they have enough muscle to make their duets work.

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They have the added advantage of not being afraid of cross-dressing. Mary spends a good part of Act 2 as a Toyland soldier, and Alan first appears in disguise as a Gypsy temptress and later as a ballerina doll. They carry it off with aplomb and a sense of humor.

The evil Barnaby is played without much imagination by Nick Charles, as the one-note leering melodrama villain Halkyard has promised. His two henchmen, who try their inept best to get rid of our hero, Alan, and assure the wedding of Barnaby to Contrary Mary, are David Wallach’s pompous Gonzorgo and Spider Madison’s soft-hearted Rodrigo, both funny and just outrageous enough to amuse kids without being too frightening.

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When Alan and Mary try to hide from Barnaby in Toyland, they meet the fuddled Toymaker, a sort of wizard figure (played here by Tanya Gallo, who is much too cutesy to be effective), and the bumbling Grumio (well-played with some restraint by Joseph Mejia).

The funniest performance is the anachronistic Inspector Marmaduke, a romp by David Farkas with modern dress and a delightfully exaggerated French accent.

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* “Babes in Toyland,” La Habra Depot Theatre, 311 S. Euclid St. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. $10-$12. Ends Dec. 19. (562) 947-6991 or (562) 905-9625. Running time: 1 hour, 45 minutes.

Shannon Runion: Contrary Mary

Benjamin T. Vega: Alan

Nick Charles: Barnaby

David Wallach: Gonzorgo

Spider Madison: Rodrigo

Tanya Gallo: Toymaker

Joseph Mejia: Grumio

David Farkas: Inspector Marmaduke

Justin Garms: Tom

Tyler Malm: Nimble Jack

A La Habra Depot Theatre revival of the Victor Herbert musical. Produced by Wanda Garms, Debbie Presentadi. Direction/scenic design: Daniel Halkyard. Choreography: Amanda Murphy. Musical direction: Susie Hall. Lighting design: Chad and Terri Brooks. Stage manager: Charlie Del Muro.