‘Purple Plastic Purse’ pleasant production

Tom Titus

What the Youth Theater of the Laguna Playhouse needs, like the U.S.

Marines, is a few good men. Young men, that is, of high school age or

younger.

In the company’s latest production, “Lilly’s Purple Plastic

Purse,” no fewer than four roles written for boys are played by

girls.

Not that they perform them badly, but it is a trifle

disconcerting.

Perhaps there just weren’t enough boys in the playhouse’s

repertory or conservatory programs to fit the assignments required in

Kevin Henkes’ adaptation of Kevin Kling’s children’s fantasy. Or

maybe they just didn’t want to portray mice -- since these creatures

comprise virtually all of the characters in the play.

Or, just maybe, they had gotten an advance look at the script and

decided they had a baseball or soccer game that took precedence.

Pity, since the show itself, despite its scriptural softness,

comes across as a good deal of fun once we realize we’re not dealing

with “Tom Sawyer” or “To Kill a Mockingbird” here.

Director Donna Inglima allows her actors to release their inner

rodents and risk being “cute” as they project the rather skimpy Kling

/ Henkes story line about an precocious little girl mouse and her

excitable nature after receiving the title item from her grandmother.

This bubbling purse-onality gets her in warm water at school for

just enough time to create a modicum of conflict.

As little Lilly, Shea Gomez fits the character splendidly,

accelerating its outsized ego and attention-grabbing gusto to turn in

a winning performance. She’s ably assisted in this regard by Justine

Kay and Catharine Bishop as her two best friends, known as Chester

and Wilson, respectively (part of the aforementioned gender bending).

Lilly’s mother and father, Chelsea Vann and (again cross-gendered)

Victoria Dickerson, bring some parental restraint to the girl,

particularly in Lilly’s strained relationship with her baby brother

Julius (Annabel Mae Pascall, another switcheroo). Her cousin Garland

is nicely presented by Amber Hernandez.

As the show’s only true male adult authority, Oren Peleg as

Lilly’s teacher, Mr. Slinger, contributes some of the crispest scenes

requiring depth of character and comes off as the most accomplished

performer in the cast. Sarah Flocken ages up to double as Lilly’s

grandmother and a walk-on pregnant woman whose presence elicits

head-scratching.

Completing the Laguna cast in various assignments are Kevin Short,

Sydne Ames, Taylor Hickok, Jordan Sandfer and Matt Stoner.

Set designer Wally Huntoon has created a wide playing area

bordered by trees and a large title banner, which is nicely lighted

by Michele Jones. Costume designer Julie Keen has fashioned a

eye-catching lineup of ears and tails for virtually every character

onstage.

“Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse” (try saying that three times fast)

should be a treat for the younger elements of the audience. The

5-year-old girl sitting next to me seemed to enjoy it immensely.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Coastline Pilot.