Music, magic, puppets enliven production of classic fairy tale

This version of “Jack and the Beanstalk” is inspired by a couple of classics: the fairy tale with the magic beans … and “Calvin and Hobbes.”

Playwright Doug Jones’ 90-minute musical – taking the stage outdoors at a family- and picnic-friendly venue on the University of Idaho’s campus – gives a 1930s-era Jack a dose of Calvin-like imagination, said Ann Hoste, artistic director for the Idaho Repertory Theatre.

The musical, an Idaho Repertory Theatre for Youth production, continues tonight, with dates through July 12.

Sitting around in his family’s barn with his books, Jack (played by Ilsa Rose-Witt) conjures his way into and out of fantastic and precarious situations. But rather than making a duplicate of himself to clean his room, Calvin-style, Jack is more likely to call “Slow motion!” on a terrible giant, enabling his escape.

The cast of adult actors is joined by two life-size puppets: Bessie the Cow and the Hen, a layer of golden eggs.

Families may arrive up to an hour before the show to lay down a blanket and have a picnic. Those who bring lawn chairs are asked to sit in the rear. A limited number of chairs are available at the theater.

Adrian Rogers

When: 6:30 p.m. tonight and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday; 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and July 12.

Where: The outdoor stage at University of Idaho Hartung Theater, on the corner of Sixth Street and Stadium Drive in Moscow, Idaho.

Tickets: $10/adults, $5/children 12 and younger. Available through www.brownpapertickets.com or at the theater’s box office, which opens an hour before each performance.