DCT’s “Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Bad Day” is Terribly Good FUN for the Whole Family!

By Mina Frannea

Dallas Children’s Theater’s adaptation of Judith Viorst’s classic children’s book, Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Bad Day, is a resounding FUN start to DCT’s new season. Scott Zenreich is perfect for playing Alexander and the supporting cast is just the right fit for the show too. The colorful characters, abundant physical comedy and catchy tunes keep the audience entertained throughout the performance. This show has a good balance of humor for children and adults alike–everyone will find something to laugh about! My husband enjoyed the show thoroughly and said it was one of the best ones he’s been to at Dallas Children’s Theater, probably in part to this being one of his favorite childhood stories. Our eight-year-old twins thought the show was “awesome” and “hilarious!”

Alexander, the youngest in a family of five, has the ultimate bad day. He wakes up with gum in his hair, there is no toy in his cereal box, his mom forgets to pack his dessert for lunch, his best friend decides he’s no longer Alexander’s best friend, and at his dental appointment, Alexander’s brothers have no cavities while Alexander ends up with a few of them. If that’s not bad enough, at the shoe store, there are no shoes in Alexander’s size, he has to have Lima beans for supper (which he hates) and then he has to put on PJ’s that he doesn’t like! Throughout his terrible, horrible no good bad day, Alexander daydreams of moving away to Australia to cope with the stress of his day, with visions of cuddly Koalas and Kangaroos in his head.

What I liked most about Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Bad Day is that it shows that children can have bad days just as grown ups do. I also liked that the story teaches the lesson that even the worst of days can end on a good note and that there’s hope for a better day tomorrow. (At the end of the day, Alexander’s mom sings him a song of hope and good days to come.)

I did find one scene a bit confusing at first–the bathroom scene where the supporting cast both sets up and plays the role of inanimate objects in Alexander’s bathroom. I thought I’d need to provide an explanation about it to my children, but they had no problem getting it so I guess it was just me.

The whole opening night experience was so much fun! Musician Willy Welch (Mr. Willy) entertained us with his acoustic guitar. We missed out on the beautifully packaged cookies provided by D Magazine, one of the night’s sponsors, but did get to enjoy ice cream provided by Sam’s Club, the other sponsor of the night. Speaking of D Magazine, they sponsored an exciting giveaway for opening night–The DreamWorks Christmassy Experience at the Gaylord Texan. The winner was randomly drawn at the beginning of the show in front of the theater audience and the winner’s last name was Alexander–what a neat coincidence!

Opening night also featured a pajama party and there were many children dressed in their PJ’s. My daughter had been so excited about the pajama party and mentioned which ones she would wear several times in the days prior. The opening night festivities are a great addition to this season and we’re all looking forward to more fun as the season continues!

Be sure to check out Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Bad Day (playing through 10/23/2011). Your family will enjoy it! You can get individual show tickets on The Dallas Children’s Theater website. If you become a season subscriber, you can enjoy substantial savings. As a season subscriber, you also have the advantage of not having to wait in the general admission line. You can purchase season tickets online or call 214-740-0051 for more information.

Mina Frannea is a Mom to eight-year-old twins and enjoys writing about life in general, family friendly activities around town, favorite recipes and crafts that keep her children busy and happy. For more posts by Mina, visit her blog at www.themomsjournal.com.

 

 

 

Image#2 Credit: Karen Almond Photography

Disclosure: The Dallas Children’s Theater invited my family to watch this performance of Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Bad Day. The above represents my personal opinion of this production.

Share

4 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *