Forever Evermore

Mac Heinrich as Magical (center) and the cast of Lovabye Dragon at First Stage. Photo credit: Paul Ruffolo.

A review of Lovabye Dragon

by Lucia E. Schrader, age 11

Are you looking for a family-friendly show that’s full of magic? First Stage’s musical production Lovabye Dragon, adapted from the children’s book by Barbara Joosse, is perfect for kids who like dragons, friendship, magic, and music! The creative props, set, and lighting, the lovable music, and the talented actors made this musical a delight.

The character of Dragon was played by Jesse Weinberg, who was inside the dragon puppet’s middle section. He was assisted by two “Magicals” who moved the dragon’s head and tail. All three actors were synchronized to make the dragon’s movements realistic. From inside the dragon’s stomach, Jesse communicated Dragon’s unique sound effects with only his voice! When Girl (played by Lainey Techtmann in the Magic Cast) and Dragon sailed to the faraway land, another “Magical” moved the sail like it was blowing in the wind.

Lighting designer Colin Gawronski used bright lighting to add to the show’s adventurous mood. There were fake stars hanging from the ceiling, and there were spotlights shining all over the theater.  Puppet designer Brandon Kirkham added amazing details to the “Bad Hat” puppets, characters who were kind of like trolls. They sang “We Want Your Gold,” which scared Dragon, but would not be too scary for the little kids in the audience. All of the music was super entertaining and fun, and really brought the show to life!

Lovabye Dragon is playing at First Stage through February 15. I highly recommend it to families with kids of all ages. The delightful music, acting, puppets, and set brought the book’s magic to LIFE! This would be a perfect first theater experience for young kids!