By JEANNI RITCHIE
I sat amid an audience of school-age children for Lagniappe Theatre’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid stage musical yesterday, dancing in my seat to a Broadway-level production by some of the most talented kids I’ve ever seen.
This cast nailed it!
Led by Eli Tyler as diary, er journal, owner Greg Heffley, the show brings the popular book series to stage with over a dozen high-energy song and dance numbers that took place throughout every surface of the theatre. No matter where you sat, you couldn’t miss the fun.
I was a children’s librarian as the series climbed to the number four best-selling book series of all time, its draw for readers in the relatability of characters and its fluency ease.
Not to mention its humor. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is just funny! The stage version even kicks that up a notch with songs like Better Than You that had me surprisingly rooting for Patty Farrell (played to perfection by Evie LaFleur) over Greg for Middle School Treasurer. After all, girls don’t forget anything, and that second-grade glue incident had been waiting for its day to be avenged.
Other unlikeable book characters that were too fantastic not to fall in love with onstage are the 8th grade bullies. I couldn’t take my eyes off Angel-Lena Wade every time she started dancing, putting personality to choreography in a way that can’t be taught. She is a director’s dream, committing to character and illuminating the stage with no need for a spotlight.
I was glad my little sister hadn’t been there during the scene when Greg’s teacher calls roll on the first day of class. “Greg Heffley? I had your brother Rodrick. You’re sitting up front near me!” I’m certain her eyes would’ve been shooting daggers at me, a family joke being that she was the one who paid the price for my high school sins!
The Cheese Touch was every middle schooler’s waterloo, that moment of utter and final defeat. Such setbacks lose their power, however, when dancing with blocks on cheese on your head. Kids all around me danced along; I joined in.
There wasn’t a dull moment from the very first scene until the curtain call. I hadn’t seen the show, so I knew I’d enjoy it. I had no idea I’d be blown away by the talent of Lagniappe’s cast.
Over 60 kids sang, danced, and handled props and set changes like they’d received Equity cards with their birth certificates, including Aiden Stokes (Fregley) and Emma Naquin (Fregley’s Mom), who stole the show during The Fregley Song after Greg’s best friend Rowley (Rhett Schnexnayder) abandoned him for a new friend.
Almost every child will have that experience at least once in their life. In fact, the themes in Diary of a Wimpy Kid aren’t limited to kids. Listening to performance songs about insecurity, relational pain, integrity, and ambition is therapeutic to children of all ages, even those who’ve been out of school for decades.
You do NOT want to miss this show!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid will be at Lagniappe Theatre Event Center, located at 7521 Coliseum Blvd. in Alexandria on Friday, March 22 at 7 PM, Saturday, March 23 at 7 PM, and Sunday, March 24 at 2:30 PM. Tickets are available online at lagniappetheatre.com or at the door.
Jeanni Ritchie is a former community actress who gets a little peanut butter and jealous when seeing shows she’d rather perform in than write about.