In keeping with the family-oriented spirit of the holidays, the Riverwalk Theatre, 228 Museum Drive in Lansing, chose a popular children's fairy tale to start the holiday season.
Stan Gill's adaptation of the classic "Little Red Riding Hood" is the eighth Gill production that Riverwalk has presented in the past 13 years.
"He always includes things that adults find funny," director Bill Helder said. "He makes it more interesting for the people who have to transport the kids."
Though the show is labeled "children's theater" and the story is simple enough for kids to enjoy, the youngest people in the cast are three teenagers and most of the lines are geared toward adults.
"He believes in audience participation," Helder said of Gill's productions. "In this show there's a sing-along, and there's always a chase."
Riverwalk Theatre director Michael Siracuse said Gill's shows are "always hysterical shows," adding that they consistently sell out and "without advance reservations you're taking a real big chance at getting in."
"He puts things in there that the adults will get just as much out of it as a 2-year-old," Siracuse said. "It's so much fun for everybody. They have very wide appeal, from age 2 to 99."
Not only are the shows popular with audiences, Helder said they are a cinch to cast.
"Part of the reason for that may be that the staff from the local schools have always been a part of the Riverwalk," Helder said. "Teachers have a feel for the importance of children's literature and like working with kids, and that translates into enjoying working with theater."
Helder's wife, Lee, plays Little Red Riding Hood's addle-brained Grandma in the show.
"She's just outrageous," Lee Helder said of her character. "I get to sing and dance and carry on."
Doing drama is nice, but she confessed she prefers comedy to the more serious shows.
"You can exaggerate and when you play to the kids they are just so delighted," Lee Helder said. "It's just fun to do it."
She also agrees adults will enjoy the show just as much, if not more, than the younger members of the audience.
"Almost all the lines are aimed at the adults," Helder said. "You're not making people cry. You're making them laugh, and I love that. When people are laughing it just releases a lot of energy."
The moral of the story? Take the kids in the family to see Riverwalk's newest show as a pre-Christmas gift, and it's a sure bet to score extra points on Santa's "nice" list while having a great time seeing some fun, energetic entertainment.
"Little Red Riding Hood" continues Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Riverwalk Theatre, 228 Museum Drive in Lansing. The show will run through Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Ticket prices are $6 for those 17 and older and $4 for those 16 and under.
