Starring Will B. Able, Hal Holden, Robert Dagny, and Joan Roberts
Directed by Nick Havinga
Music by Jim Eiler; Lyrics by Jeanne Bargy
Our second Prince Street Players special adapts a more traditional fairy tale. The tale of the boy who climbed the beanstalk and the giants he found in the clouds has turned up everywhere from the Sondheim pastiche Into the Woods to one of Abbott and Costello's least-likely vehicles. What do the Prince Street Players bring to the tale? Let's travel to a far more fanciful land than early 1900's Italy to meet Jack (Holden) and his mother (Roberts) and find out...
The Story: Jack is tricked into trading his cow Betsy for magic beans by the evil Black Baron (Dagny), who wants the Giant's (Able) golden hen. Jack plants the beans over his mother's protests...and indeed, they do grow into a massive beanstalk by the next day. He climbs them, only to discovered worried residents of the land in the clouds warning him about the Giant (Will B. Able). The Giant does capture him and tries to force Jack to tell the truth and remain in his domain. He even shows him his Golden Harp (John Joy) and Golden Goose (Marcie Stringer). Jack, however, is more worried about his mother and the Black Baron, who will take their home for taxes. He and the Giant's assistant (David Lile) finally return to the ground...but the Giant is right on their heels...
The Song and Dance: Unlike Pinocchio, this one gets a lot more creative with the source material. I've rarely seen the Giant played as a relative good guy, or at least, not entirely bad. Holden is a delightfully curious and charming Jack, especially protesting the Giant's attempt to keep him in the clouds, and Able is a riot as the Giant. Dagny is having a great time channeling his inner silent screen villain as the obviously evil Black Baron, too. We also get some really fun songs, notably some of the songs heard in the Giant's realm. The colorful sets look rather like children designed them, adding to the fanciful nature of the story.
The Numbers: We open with "It's a Magical, Musical Day" as we meet Jack, his mother, and their neighbors. Jack and his mother lament "Goodbye, Betsy" when they realize Jack has to sell the cow at market. The Black Baron, masquerading as an old peddler, sells Jack on the "Magic Beans." Jack's going to "Climb Up" the beanstalk and find out who lives there.
The residents of the Land of the Giant encourages Jack to "Go Away, Away, Away," before the Giant captures him. The Giant wonders "Where oh Where Can He Be?" as he looks for Jack. Giant explains that he's not really a bad guy, but he will "Take a Giant Step" to his castle, where he creates fantastical inventions. The Giant even does a goofy tango with his housekeeper (Dorothy Greener). The Golden Harp plays "Plinka Plunk," while The Golden Goose (Marcie Stringer) sings about "Oh Dem Golden Eggs!" Jack and the Assistant finally flee after nightfall, claiming "It's Time." The Housekeeper thinks "It Must Have Been the Wind." We end with reprises of "Take a Giant Step" and "It's a Magical Musical Day" down below.
What I Don't Like: This is one of the strangest versions of Jack and the Beanstalk I've ever seen, and that includes the live-action Jack the Giant Killer from a decade ago. The Giant is a scientist who wants to pick Jack's brain? And, once again, this is not an elaborate production. Able looks more like the really tall guy in weird giant brain makeup he is than a Giant. The sets are even chintzier than the ones for Pinocchio, and even the costumes are simplified here. This is, once again, not for those expecting a massive modern Disney TV musical.
The Big Finale: I'll admit, I liked Pinocchio slightly better, but this one still has a lot of its own charms for families with younger kids who will likely enjoy the weirdness.
Home Media: Currently, the Prince Street Players musicals can't be found anywhere but YouTube.
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