'Junie B. Jones' springs to life

By MARTA HEPLER DRAHOS
mdrahos@record-eagle.com

November 21, 2008 12:00 am

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TRAVERSE CITY -- She mispronounces words, talks back to her teachers and stirs up trouble wherever she goes.

Now the irrepressible Junie B. -- star of the best-selling fiction series for children and a hero of the first- through third-grade set -- is coming to the City Opera House by way of the touring stage show "Junie B. Jones." The musical comedy will be presented by Theatreworks USA at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Nov. 29.

Featuring pop-rock and R&B songs like "When Life Gives You Lemons" and "Writing Down the Story of My Life," the hourlong show follows the precocious grade-schooler as she graduates from kindergarten and gets ready for first grade. But getting used to a new teacher, new glasses and new friends -- including twins Camille and Chenille -- is challenging, even for Junie B.

Audiences can follow her adventures as she writes them down in her Top Secret Personal Beeswax Journal, a giant version of which forms the backdrop and set for the show.

The upbeat production features a cast of six, including Boston Conservatory alumnus Lauren Wood as Junie B. ("The B stands for Beatrice, only I do not like Beatrice. I just like B and that's all," Junie B. explains in her books.)

Recommended for audiences 5 and up, the show is part of an effort to bring more family acts to the City Opera House, said Diana Barrie, the venue's program and events coordinator. It was a top choice of board members, many of them moms, she added.

"Having kids exposed to art at a young age is something we're very interested in doing," Barrie said. "We chose Junie B. because it's such a children's classic. One of our staff members has a daughter who read the books. She's 15 now and she wants to come to the show."

Barrie encourages kids to sit up front or with their families, and to bring a favorite stuffed animal and Junie B. book.

The musical is based on four volumes in Barbara Park's 26-book series, illustrated by Denise Brunkus and published by Random House.

"It's extremely popular," said Bernadette Groppuso, youth services coordinator at the Traverse Area District Library, where 100 or so paperback copies of the books are in constant circulation.

She credits the series' popularity to Park's skillful and humorous writing and stories that "roughly relate" to experiences in first-graders' lives, and -- not least -- to Junie B. Jones herself.

"She doesn't do everything that some parents care for. She's not a shrinking violet. And she says everything that comes to mind," Groppuso said. "So there's a certain irreverence that makes her very readable."

Written by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich, who are currently working on a Broadway-bound musical based on the film "Ever After," "Junie B. Jones" premiered Off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in July 2004 and returned in 2005 and 2008. It began its national tour in fall 2004 and now is one of Theatreworks USA's most popular productions.

A New York City-based non-profit theater for young and family audiences, Theatreworks appeared at the City Opera House in 2007 in "Winnie the Pooh."

"They are unbelievably professional, completely personable with the children," Barrie said. "It's a joy to see."

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids at the opera house box office, open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, or online at www.cityoperahouse.org. For more information, call 941-8082.

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