Next Best Thing to Saturday Morning

Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?

That’s the Zen-like musical question posed by “Schoolhouse Rock” for more than 25 years, first through a long-running series of quirky animated shorts tucked into ABC-TV’s Saturday morning lineup, and more recently through a nostalgia-driven wave of CDs, videos and assorted merchandise.

Now there’s also “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.,” a bite-sized musical incorporating “Conjunction Junction,” “Three Is a Magic Number” and other favorites, at the Outdoor Children’s Theatre at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.

It’s ostensibly aimed at youngsters age 3 and up, but this 12-tune revue, directed by Joe Lauderdale, seemed to strike a more resonant chord with the adults at Thursday’s opening performance. Grown-up heads repeatedly bobbed in recognition as the nimble, six-person cast danced and crooned its way through such tunes as “Just a Bill” and “The Preamble.”

A group of twentysomething moms practically bounced their preschoolers off their knees as they kept time to “Interjections,” a rollicking lesson in the use of exclamations.

“Schoolhouse Rock” was born in the early 1970s when advertising exec David McCall was mystified by his young son’s inability to memorize multiplication tables when he could recite one rock song after another chapter and verse.

McCall tapped jazz musician Bob Dorough to put the two together, paving the way for a collection of catchy rock-, jazz- and blues-inspired tunes that put snap, crackle and pop in otherwise dry facts. Many fans swear they wouldn’t have passed that big U.S. Constitution test if the “Schoolhouse Rock” version of “The Preamble” hadn’t been running through their heads.

Played out against Wally Huntoon’s vivid and versatile set, “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.” is short on story line but long on hum-ability. Dialogue is limited to brief links between numbers, so the characters tend to be pretty, well, two-dimensional.

It’s the first day of school for new teacher Tom (Collin Rand), and he attempts to soothe his jitters by watching a little tube.

Surprise, surprise, “Schoolhouse Rock” is on, and before you can say “Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla,” Tom is reliving his favorite “Schoolhouse Rock” tunes with new best friends George (Bradley Mielke), Dori (Kellie Nitkin), Shulle (Ashley Weber), Joe (Jordan D. Morris) and Dina (Adrienne Tygenhof). In the process, he learns how to engage young minds by linking stories and fun to the three Rs, not to mention grammar, history and science.

Choreographer Tod A. Kubo has crafted some snappy dance numbers, and Lauderdale’s cast, particularly Rand and Tygenhof, carries them off with apparent ease and lots of verve.

Visual aids, in the form of large placards and a cartoonish school bus prop, and Lauderdale’s high-energy blocking, drive the lessons home with color, humor and movement.

Some numbers were dogged at Thursday’s opening by late sound cues and uneven timing by the cast, but these presumably will smooth out in successive performances.

Although pretty, the outdoor theater posed a problem for some very young viewers. It can be hard to keep your attention focused on the stage when tree branches are rustling in the breeze or a pigeon is poking around close by. This is a show that would carry more oomph if played indoors.

Still, these are small distractions from the real-life lessons and fun “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.” has to offer, and we’d do well to remember the closing shot the players deliver to Tom: “You learn something new every day. Look out for it.”

* “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.” Outdoor Children’s Theatre, Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo. Performances at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Thursday-Sunday. $6. Ends Aug. 1. (949) 582-4656. Running time: 55 minutes.

Collin Rand: Tom

Bradley Mielke: George

Kellie Nitkin: Dori

Ashley Weber: Shulle

Jordan D. Morris: Joe

Adrienne Tygenhof: Dina

A Saddleback College Children’s Theatre production of the revue conceived by Scott Ferguson. Book by Ferguson, Kyle Hall and George Keating. Music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Bob Dorough, Dave Frishberg, Kathy Mandry, George Newall and Tom Yohe. A Broadway Jr. version. Directed by Joe Lauderdale. Musical direction: John Massey, Jr. Scenic design: Wally Huntoon. Choreography: Tod A. Kubo. Sound design: Kevin Cook. Costume design: Haleh Risdana. Stage manager: Erica Mikelson.