Theater Review: 'The Three Little Pigs!!" by 7A's Children's Theatre

WATERBURY - The Seven Angels Children’s Theatre presented a very cute production of “The Three Little Pigs!!” last weekend. The production that was perfect for the youngest of patrons was presented without intermission.

The classic tale was adapted for the young performers by director Scott Kealey. With a cast of mostly young performers, this is a chance for lots of talented kids to get up on the Seven Angels stage to sing and dance and tell jokes and stories. In his director’s note, Kealey adds, “We want you to know that if your child’s enthusiasm for watching what’s happening up onstage makes you think that they might enjoy doing it themselves, Seven Angels is the perfect place for them to find out.”

Previous shows include “Goldilocks,’ “Tom Sawyer,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Dracula’s Fright Night,” and “Snow White.”

Clio Janis served as musical director for the singers, recording musical accompaniment for the three shows. The director wrote some new lyrics for familiar tunes, including “Big Rock Candy Mountain” and “Skip to My Lou.”

Sarah Scovill provided the charming choreography and Jimmy Donohue was in charge of the lighting design that highlighted the actors.

Hanalei Cocchiola took on the role of Pig 1, the one who built her house of straw. Kaleia Horton-Blake built an abode of straw in her role as Pig 2 and Daniella Varrone smartly built a much stronger house as Pig 3.

The always delightful Nathaniel Riccio played a newsboy and Alph. Ella Perrotti wore a huge blonde wig for her role as Eunice, a “kiss my grits” kind of gal.

Nadira Hart-White played a mom. Gillian Fitzpatrick played Mary and Aliza Cocchiola played Sally and Veggie, a member of the Veggie Action Group that espoused the benefits of tofu.

Demane Jones played June and Tatum Vargas was Joe. Nevaeh Welcome appeared as both Wanda and another Veggie. Celia Misuraca covered the roles of a photographer and Ralph and Lily Tranquillo was another photographer. Kai Plourde played Roy.

The director took to the stage to play the Big Bad Wolf (pictured above) and warmed up the audience before the show began. The other adults that worked with the young cast members were the delightful Norma Jean Lombard as Mrs. Mayor and Daniel Cocchiola as the town’s Mayor.

Costume design by Sherie Cocchiola added plenty of charm with simple outfits that got the job done. With the majority of the costumes in green and neutral colors, the shades of pink worn by the pigs were able to pop. Katrina Paul was the master carpenter of the requisite three homes with various degrees of sturdiness. It was fun to see how the backstage crew worked the houses being blown down and to watch some of the characters travel by boat.

Peter Kershaw was credited as the sound engineer and Nicholas Bates ran the lighting board.

Stage manager Catarina Gleason was assisted by both Geno Bascetta and Eric Plourde. Bascetta made a couple of brief appearances on the stage as well.

Congratulations to the adults and teens who worked with these up and coming performers on another enjoyable show.

Nancy Sasso Janis, writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, posts well over 100 reviews each year. In 2016, her membership in the Connecticut Critics Circle began and her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted not only in the Naugatuck Patch but also on the Patch sites closest to the venue. She recently became a contributor to the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column and theatre reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.

Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the CCC Facebook page.