Goodspeed’s “Emmet Otter” becoming a holiday tradition

EAST HADDAM — Back by popular demand, Jim Henson’s “Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas” makes it’s second appearance in as many years at the Goodspeed Opera House, running through Jan. 3.
Adapted from the 1980s HBO television special featuring the Jim Henson puppets, this production uses a combination of animal puppets and actors dressed as the animal menagerie, set to music.
The plot is a sweet but light tale of a magical world where animals talk and deal with their day to day travails. A father and daughter who have just lost wife and mother are sharing their first Christmas together without her.
The well-meaning dad, played by Stephen Bienskie, (who also plays a mean rocking ACDC-like weasel), tries to be both dad and mom, while pre-teen Jane, played by the adorable Meg Guzulescu, dressed in Hanna Anderson togs, wants to hang with her friends.
They find the children’s book that the mom gave to Jane when she was just baby, and dad starts reading about the fantasy world of Frog Town Hollow.
In this magical place a mom otter, played by Kathy Fitzgerald, and her son, Emmet Otter, the fine, dimpled Justin Bohon, are struggling to put food on the table, but want to give each other a special Christmas gift, as in O’Henry’s “Gift of the Magi.”
Emmet wants to buy his mom a used piano and joins a jug band, while mom otter wants to buy her son a beautiful guitar.
The show kicks off with the two in a rowboat, Emmet rowing and the two singing the funny duet “The One Bathing Suit.”
In this show the colorful costumes are as much a character as the actors are, with oversized buttons and a riot of rainbow colors, textures, and designs, by the talented Gregg Barnes, which are cheerful and bright. The set, by Anna Louizos, features ingenious folding walls that quickly convert from outside to in, and oversized pine trees.
While the full-sized characters are busy working on putting on a talent show, the little critters, including the goofy flying squirrels, an owl, ducks, rabbits, a frog, and other sundry puppet animals, adding lots of silliness and comic touches. Without giving too much away, watch for the deer in the headlights and some awfully corny jokes.
Guzulescu is sweet, but really comes into her own when she sings with the kooky four flying squirrels, and clearly has a fun time with the little fury creatures.
The talent show is a delight, with Squirrel-batics, Der Field Mouse, the song Bar-b-que, Rabbit-tastic, the fabulous Mrs. Mink, played by Jill Abramovitz, doing a minkish strip-tease in the song “Born in a Trunk,” and more.
My favorite song is the rousing ballad, “When the River meets the Sea,” which is reprised a couple times, with songs written by Paul Williams.
Here’s hoping that this show continues to be a Goodspeed holiday tradition for years to come.

EMMET OTTER'S JUG BAND CHRISTMAS

3 Stars
Location: Goodspeed Opera House, Route 82, East Haddam
Production: Music and lyrics by Paul Williams. Book by Timothy A. McDonald and Christopher Gattelli, based on the book written by Russell and Lillian Hoban. Directed and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli. From the original television special produced and directed by Jim Henson and written by Jerry Juhl. Musical direction by Larry Pressgrove. Scene design by Anna Louizos. Costume design by Gregg Barnes. Lighting design by Brian MacDevitt.
Running time: 2 hours including one 15-minute intermission
Show Times: Wednesday Dec. 23 and 30 at 2 and 7 p.m.; Thursday Dec. 17, Friday Dec. 18 and Saturday Dec. 19 at 7 p.m.; Sunday Des at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.; Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve at 12 p.m.; New Year’s Day at 2 p.m. through Jan. 3. There are no performances Dec. 25.
Tickets: $39 — $59. Call the box office at 860-873-8668 or visit their Web site at www.goodspeed.org
ACTOR…CHARACTER
Meg Guzulescu … Jane
Justin Bohon … Emmet Otter
Kathy Fitzgerald … Mrs. Alice Otter
Lisa Howard … Mrs. Gretchen Fox
Thomas Cannizarro … Mayor Harrison Fox
Jill Abramovitz … Mrs. Mink
Stephen Bienskie … Russ/ Stan Weasel
Jennifer Barnhardt … Madam Squirrel