Valentine offers 'Click, Clack, Moo' for families

Michael Thomas Homes, left, Kristy, Cates, Gretchen Bieber, Drew McVety, Sarah Katherine Gee, and DeMonda B. Nason appear in 'Click, Clack, Moo.'

Family-friendly productions are on tap this weekend on area stages.

At the Valentine Theatre, the children's series comes to an end with Click, Clack, Moo, based on the Caldecott Honor book by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin.

The tale starts when Farmer Brown's granddaughter, Jenny, comes for a visit. Wanting Jenny to enjoy old-fashioned farm life, Farmer Brown confiscates her laptop computer and stores it in the cold barn, where it's found by his shivering cows. They type a message to their owner, requesting blankets.

The farmer scorns the request, so the cows go on strike and the chickens join them in solidarity.

Which side will blink first?

The show will be performed by actors from Theatreworks-USA, a professional troupe based in New York, whose acting alumni include Acadamy Award-winner F. Murray Abraham, Henry Winkler, and Tony-nominated actress Judy Kuhn.

"Click, Clack, Moo" is scheduled at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Valentine Theatre, 400 North Superior St. Tickets are $12 and $16 for adults and $8 and $12 for children. Information: 419-242-2787.

'Phantom' twist

The Teen Company of Children's Theatre Workshop finishes its season with the musical comedy Phantom of the Op'ry by Tim Kelly, Gerald Castle, and Michael Vigilant.

The show is set in Skunk Creek, Nev., where the op'ry house has competing divas: Christine Swansong, the young protege of the resident "ghost," and Carlotta Barracuda, who will stop at nothing to remain the star.

Children's Theatre Workshop shows are presented by youngsters from northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, with minimal help from their adult mentors. The Teen Company comprises students ages 13-18.

"Phantom of the Op'ry" is scheduled at 8 p.m. Friday and 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday at the Chapel Theatre of the Collingwood Arts Center, 2413 Collingwood Blvd. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for seniors and students, available at the door or by calling 419-244-5061.

Follow that rainbow

The Monroe Community Players rounds out its 2010-11 season with the musical fantasy The Wizard of Oz.

The musical, adapted from the 1939 movie starring Judy Garland, is the tale of young Dorothy Gale, who is swept away from her Kansas farm to the land of Oz, where she encounters all manner of obstacles in her attempts to get home. But she also makes new friends who help her on her journey.

David Wahr directs the MCP production; Mark Felder is the musical director. The large cast is led by Christina Compean as Dorothy, Alison Drougel as the good witch Glinda, Robert Yoman as the Cowardly Lion, Brad Bowman as the Tin Woodsman, John Coker as the Scarecrow, Roxanne Cangealose as the Wicked Witch of the West, and Norb Nowak as the Wizard.

Well-known songs in the production include "Follow the Yellow Brick Road," "Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead," and "Somewhere Over The Rainbow."

"The Wizard of Oz" is scheduled at 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday at the La-Z-Boy Center on the campus of Monroe County Community College, 1555 South Raisinville Rd., Monroe. Tickets are $20.50 for adults and $17.50 for seniors and children from the center box office or emonroe.com. Information: 734-241-7900.

A spell of fun

The Fort Findlay Playhouse opens The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee this weekend.

The musical comedy about the hopes, dreams, and angst of six adolescent misfits looking to stand out and fit in at the same time has been a crowd-pleaser since its Tony Award-winning run on Broadway from 2005 to 2008.

Portraying the spellers are Laurie Dye as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere, Ed Griswold as William Barfee, Tara Laciano as Marcy Park, Alan Lortz as Leaf Coneybear, Lindsay Taylor as Olive Ostrovsky. and Wes Taylor as Chip Tolentino.

Also in the cast are Julie Lane as host Rona Lisa Perretti, Marty Williams as Vice Principal Douglas Panch, and Dan Basinger as comfort counselor Mitch Mahoney.

Some themes and language in the show might not be appropriate for younger children.

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" is scheduled at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday at Fort Findlay Playhouse, 300 W Sandusky St., Findlay. Additional shows are June 2-4. Tickets are $15 and are available from the Arts Partnership, 618 South Main St., Findlay. Information: 419-422-4624.

Contact Nanciann Cherry at ncherry@theblade.com or 419-724-6130.