Katie Couric’s first novel hits musical stage in Irvine

“The Brand New Kid,” a musical based on the first children’s book written by television anchor Katie Couric, will be shown at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26 at the Irvine Barclay Theater, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine.

Presented by the Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audience on Tour, the show tells the story of a 7-year-old boy facing taunting, teasing and alienation from his second-grade classmates at school.

Lazlo S. Gasky has just arrived from Hungary and doesn’t look or talk like the other kids.

When Ellie McSnelly befriends him, after initially teasing him herself, the two are able to send a message to the rest of the class that “looking different is not such a bad thing,” and accepting people for who they are is the right thing to do.

The show is recommended for children ages 4 to 8. Tickets are $16 for adults and $12 for children. Call (949) 854-4646 or go to www.thebarclay.org.

— Sue Thoensen