Young folks will love Young People’s Theatre of Chicago’s fast-paced and colorful adaptation of Mo Willems’s book Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (script by Willems and Mr. Warburton, lyrics by Willems, and music by Deborah Wicks La Puma, and directed by Randy White, returning after 2023’s sold-out run), which is marked by both a high-octane cast and masterful puppetry (designed by Rick Lyon) bringing the titular pigeon and some of his animal friends in a city park to life.
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Through 12/22: Sat 11 AM and 1 PM, Sun 1 PM; Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln, 773-404-7336, yptchi.org, $28.50 (under 12 $19.50)
A few wisecracks aimed at adults means this is an outing that the entire family will enjoy and, let’s face it, one of the play’s central messages—you can’t always get what you want (pardon the Rolling Stones reference)—is a message both kids and adults could stand to hear more often these days.
Brade Bradshaw brings much humor and energy while performing the Pigeon, who’s lately been overcome by ennui in his humdrum existence in Oz Park. Even as we see him operating the Pigeon’s puppet, he exudes warmth and vivaciousness as the character interacts at several points one-on-one with audience members.
A brand-new bus route through the park brings some much needed excitement to the Pigeon’s life when he becomes captivated not just by the bus, but the bus driver (Karla Serrato) and its passengers (Marquis Bundy, Jake Elkins, Jamie Dillon Grossman) as well. Serrato is really fun as perhaps the world’s most passionate and committed bus driver. Grossman deserves special credit, as she stepped into the role as the understudy at the performance I saw and sparkled as an older bus rider who just happens to be carrying a lot of birdseed around.
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