Busytown

What year is it is in Busytown? Its population of cats, dogs, lions, bears, and worms dress like peasants and live in Victorian houses, but also fly around in airplanes and perform X-rays on each other. This world premiere (don’t mock the term, Longenbaugh!) radiates with simple, silly joy while bringing to life the impossible physics and interspecies harmony of Richard Scarry’s world. The breezy, confident cast dances and sings their way through a catchy mishmash of Tin Pan Alley and doo-wop numbers (by Michael Koerner, with lyrics by NPR regular Kevin Kling, who also wrote the script), and mug it up with inspired bits of physical comedy. Highlights of the latter include a squad of pig firefighters demonstrating, in rapid-fire succession, a half-dozen terrible ways to carry a ladder. The pace never lags, though there could probably be a bit more audience participation, especially given an audience that keeps up a continuous low murmur of commentary anyway. The perfect age to see this show probably ranges from 3 1/2 to 6, but older siblings are also likely to have a good time, even if they won’t admit it. Scandalized by perceived "babyishness," my own 8-year-old roommate had to be dragged to this show ("I’m not going to clap," she warned), but was observed laughing, smiling, and exhibiting other clinical signs of pleasure. Apparently even prolonged exposure to Zac Efron doesn’t make you immune to the guileless, low-key charms of Busytown. DAVID STOESZ Mostly 7 p.m. Fri., 2 & 5:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun., but double-check the Web site for the exact schedule. Ends June 15.
Fridays, 7 p.m.; Saturdays, Sundays, 2 & 5:30 p.m. Starts: April 25. Continues through June 15, 2008