A playful ‘Chicken Little’

In its tiny storefront space in North Hollywood, Zombie Joe’s ZJU Theatre Group has a mission to “push the limits of live progressive theater.” The company is branching out, however, with a new venture: traditional children’s theater.

Against walls painted with storybook trees, and on a narrow space barely wider than an aisle, ZJU’s new Limecat Family Theatre is devoting weekend afternoons to an uneven but sunny musical, “The Tale of Chicken Little.”

Jealous Foxy Woxy (Josh T. Ryan) bops popular Chicken Little (petite Etienne Eckert) with an acorn, sending her running with the news that the sky is falling. He hopes Little’s pals will tag her a tattletale.

But Henny Penny (Eliot Arnold, a sketch in housewife drag) just wants to bake bread; Ducky Lucky (Gili Getz) is trying to woo Lucy Goosey (Rachel Bourne), and Lucy’s mind is on her “Royal Singing Bird” audition.

The weensy stage threatens to turn ensemble scenes into a police lineup, but director Brennan Marquez manages some lively staging, aided by the cast’s appeal and the cozy presence of narrator Amy Mucken.

On the downside: Bourne’s songs, crafted to tunes from “Gypsy,” have bounce, but her lyrics and some singing voices need polishing; squirrel reporter Pearl (Jenna Harris), seeking a story for the King (Jason Bold), isn’t a smooth fit. And the close proximity to the cast is a challenge for kids: Given the theater’s size, actors need to turn down the volume in scenes calling for alarm or excitement.

Despite the bumps, however, the show’s playful spirit shines, warmed by its gentle messages of friendship and sharing.

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‘The Tale of Chicken Little’

Where: ZJU Theatre Group, 4850 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood.

When: Sundays, 1 p.m.; also this Saturday, 1 p.m. Running time: 45 minutes. Ends March 30.

Price: $6 (ages 12 and younger) to $8.

Info: (818) 202-4120.