The big engine that can

Local kids have a special guest rolling into town next weekend, as Thomas the Tank Engine comes to Segerstrom Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

In the new show, “Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage: A Circus Comes to Town,” the Island of Sodor is preparing for the big circus when Thomas makes a mistake and must then prove his worth as a useful engine again.

After a stop this weekend at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, the show will move into Orange County and then Costa Mesa from Feb. 6 to 8.

From its humble beginnings as a set of stories written by the Rev. W. Awdry to amuse his son Christopher as he suffered from measles, the characters have shown up in everything from the popular television series to merchandising worldwide. But the show never made it to the stage in the U.S. until 2007.

This new show’s creators have “successfully blended the enduring appeal of Thomas and his friends with the timeless artistry and exuberance of the circus,” said Gary Krakower, a spokesman for the producers of the show, in a statement. “Families who see this show will remember the experience for many years to come.”

But how does the popular cast of talking trains work in a stage musical setting? According to Jean Rapp, choreographer and co-director, kids have a special appreciation for the singing and dancing of musicals. Rapp said she tries to use that appeal to draw them into the characters and the story.

“I think choreography heightens energy, which I think is what kids like about a musical,” Rapp said. “Kids are natural dancers. When they hear music, they love to get up out of their seats, and move around. Choreography instills that energy — it shows kids that the characters are up on the stage feeling the same things that they’re feeling.”

To buy tickets, go to www.ocpac.org, or call (714) 556-2787.

MICHAEL ALEXANDER may be reached at (714) 966-4618 or at michael.alexander@latimes.com.