A YOUTHFUL VERSION OF ‘BABES IN ARMS’ AT FORD

A helicopter cruised by. During a romantic moment, the sound system fuzzed up. And, somewhere in the picturesque hillside behind the outdoor John Anson Ford Theatre, a skunk took a pungent stroll.

Welcome to show business, kids.

The California Youth Theatre’s nonprofit theatre arts program is presenting two productions this month, the result of a summer of training for more than 100 young people ages 14 to 21. The first is Rodgers and Hart’s “Babes in Arms,” which ends Sunday. (Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” opens Thursday.)

Despite the outside interference, there were no on-stage snags for “Babes in Arms.” Opening night went well for the 28 young non-professionals who brightly danced and sang their way through a winning musical score that includes “Where or When” and “My Funny Valentine.”

It wasn’t Garland and Rooney (they did it for MGM in 1939), but it was a pleasant evening with a lot of humor and a few electric moments.

The plot is simple: Kids want to put on a show; young owner of Cape Cod playhouse may lose playhouse to sleazy producer; kids’ show saves the day. Everybody pairs off in the end, including producer and pushy stage mother.

Voices varied from thin but valiant to sweetly melodic. The standout was wide-eyed Kirsten Benton, whose full voice and expert comic delivery (her broad grin is a knockout) came close to making show-stoppers out of “The Lady Is a Tramp” and “Johnny One Note.”

A funny scene had Jack Black as obnoxious Lee Calhoun, angry young Southern playwright-director-actor, whose play, an obstacle to the kids’ revue, falls apart before his horrified eyes. When the Statue of Liberty leaves the stage in a huff after being hit by a flying cork, and part of the set falls down to reveal the sleazy producer kissing the pushy stage mother, Calhoun flees the decadent north. Black’s punctured pomposity was a delight.

The rest of the likable cast performed creditably. Kevin McNamara is a handsome hero and Susan Farrell Egan a sweet heroine, though she seems a trifle young in the role.

As the actress daughter of the ambitious stage mother, lovely Kate E. Kern is sexy and funny. Julie Seaborn and Karl Warkentien have several comic moments as the couple who love to hate each other, and Jonathan Mundale as the producer is a satisfying louse.

Anthony Abbriano’s choreography is varied and eye-pleasing--with tap, jazz, soft-shoe, ballet and a dash of break-dancing, though the “Way Out West” number seemed cluttered.

The 30-member orchestra, conducted by Richard Rintoul, had a few sudden stops and occasionally the strings and brass barely got together in time, but most of the accompaniment was fine.

Kermit Heckert’s set design features a weathered, stationary barn structure that serves the cast well.

Mark Herrier has directed the large cast with obvious care. Lack of experience comes through, but these are not untrained performers and all the smiles are real, as is the touch of innocence that prevails throughout.

“Babes in Arms” plays at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, tonight and Sunday at 8 p.m. (465-0070).