"SUT &WFOUT MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE
MARK KITAOKA
DREAM TEAM With sharp writing and an enchanting pair of actors, TheatreWorks’ ‘Daddy Long Legs,’ now playing at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, has legs indeed
By Jeanie K. Smith
T
heatreWorks’ emphasis on new stage work is a real boon for our community, putting us on the map nationally as a destination for artists looking to create the next great American play or musical, and bringing together theater artists in a supportive, creative environment. Occasionally the combination is just right. Writers, composers and production teams unite to show what’s really possible with the magic of theater. Such is the stuff that “Daddy Long Legs” is made of. This new musical weaves its magic right into our hearts and minds, and is definitely one of the best surprises of the theater season so far. The lineage here has all the right stuff. Composer Paul Gordon, best known to TheatreWorks audiences for the recent hit “Emma,” wrote the music and lyrics. John Caird, who co-directed and
adapted “Les Miserables,” among many noteworthy award-winning shows, wrote the adaptation, and also directed this world premiere production. It was Caird’s wife who recommended Jean Webster’s 1912 novel “Daddy Long Legs” as the next project for the duo. The story chronicles the coming of age of orphan Jerusha Abbott (played by Megan McGinnis), who, after showing some early promise with her writing, is mysteriously financed for a full ride to college. Her benefactor chooses to remain anonymous and silent, but Jerusha can never be silent, writing lengthy, colorful letters each month to her “Daddy Long Legs,” as she nicknames him. As she blossoms from a girl into an educated and accomplished young woman, she writes and See DADDY, page 22
JANUARY 29, 2010 ■ MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE ■
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