"Be My Baby" and "Tom Sawyer"

Last weekend, I watched two great shows: "Be My Baby" by Ken Ludwig, and a musical adaptation of Tom Sawyer.


Ken Ludwig is a master of comedic mix-up and good-natured mayhem. Although Noises Off by Michael Frayn is my all-time favorite farce-set-in-a-theater, Ludwig's comedies are a close runner up with mad-cap plays such as Leading Ladies and Lend Me a Tenor.

  Although there are lots of laughs, the script also blends in family drama. The story follows the misadventures of two elderly rivals, a gruff Scotsman and a matronly Londoner. They have been entrusted with a very special task: To travel to America and bring back an adopted baby. Unfortunately, once they arrive, the courts won't sign the custody papers, so they are stranded in San Francisco for weeks on end.
You might be able to guess where this is going. These two curmudgeons become the best of friends when they discover a common love: the baby that they must now care for.

Be My Baby has a lot of charm, and not to mention six top-notch actors! 

Now, if you're looking for a great show for kids and grown-ups alike, check out Tom Sawyer.  My girls and I enjoyed Tom Sawyer.  The child actors are very entertaining, and the sets were terrific, especially the dark cave setting of the play's climax.  This is Jeff Johnson's first director's gig at the Canyon Theatre Guild.  He's off to a great start.  I can't wait to see what he directs next!