Rick Pendzich is dependably comic as Anatole’s buddy. Karen Estrada, who plays Anatole’s demure wife, later lets out all the stops when she becomes the vampish cat, Charlemagne. Brightly colored costumes and a cartoon style set the stage for Anatole’s magical adventures.Ĭhildren’s roles are double-cast, and on opening night the Swiss cast performed as Anatole’s large family, which includes six children. Anatole (played by Gerard Neugent) sports a jaunty beret outfitted with Mickey Mouse-type ears. There’s a definite French flair here, as characters pepper their dialogue with French words and an illuminated Eiffel Tower appears on the backdrop. Musical co-creators John Maclay and Lee Becker, in conjunction with composer James Valcq, have written a dozen charming tunes that make this musical as light as a soufflé.ĭirector and choreographer Molly Rhode leads a strong cast as she weaves together the story and songs. The play is based on an award-winning book of the same name written by Eve Titus and illustrated by Paul Galdone. How he manages to make life better for everyone around him is one of the themes in First Stage’s new musical, Anatole. For a little guy, Anatole the mouse has some pretty big ideas.
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