Arts Alive San Antonio

By JASMINA WELLINGHOFF, Editor

Come fall, you’ll again be able to take your children to the Magik Theatre to see live shows, with real actors on stage, and real families enjoying themselves in the audience. After nearly a year-and-half of pandemic restrictions and virtual this and that, the return to the new/old reality is something that evolved over months at the Magik, San Antonio premier children’s theater.

“It sort of snuck up on us,” said the Magik’s artistic director Anthony Runfola. “We were planning to do ’Charlotte’s Web’ with a fully masked cast as we did with two other shows we produced during the pre-vaccine period of the pandemic. The day before tech week for ‘Charlotte’s Web,’ the CDC announced that if you were fully vaccinated you didn’t need the mask anymore. We talked it over with the cast – we even did a secret ballot to see how everybody felt – and everyone said ‘Lets take off the masks.’

“It felt like graduation. We finally saw each other for the first time in a long time. It was exciting.”

But Runfola also pointed out that the situation with the audience was “a different story.” Since the Magik’s core audience are kids younger than 12, and since kids are still not being vaccinated, social distancing and masks will continue to be the norm. “But by fall, that may be different as well,” he noted.

That said, here’s what’s coming up in the 2021-22 season.

 All six announced productions are San Antonio premieres, and one of them, “Junie B. Jones: Toothless Wonder” is a world premiere, noted Runfola. This will be the first full season under Runfola’s leadership, who arrived in San Antonio to take the helm of the Magik in the fall of 2019, just a few months before the pandemic forced performing arts organizations to shut their doors. Like other theaters, the Magik eventually started exploring online programming which was made available to families and schools.

Runfola will direct the season’s inaugural play, “Maddi’s Fridge,” a story of two friends and how to help a friend in need without embarrassing her. The two friends are Sofia and Maddi. When Sofia discovers that Maddi has almost no food in her home fridge, she wants to help but Maddi makes her promise to keep it a secret. Thus, Sofia finds herself in a difficult predicament: How can she help if she can’t tell her parents about Maddi’s situation?  The play by Anne Negri is an adaptation of the eponymous book by Lois Brandt. (Sept.17-Oct.30, 2021; recommended for ages 5+)

Next is “Snow White” but do not expect the Disney fairy tale.  Written by Greg Banks, this “Snow White” is a contemporary take on the old story, featuring only two actors who portray all the roles, including the seven dwarfs. Rumor has it that it’s pretty funny. (Oct. 14- 31, 2021; recommended for ages 6+)   

Runfola will also be the director of “Ella Enchanted: The Musical,” another contemporary take on a fairy tale, in this case “Cinderella.” In the kingdom of Lamia, Ella of Frell is given the “gift” of obedience by Lucinda, her fairy godmother, which forces her to do whatever others want her to do. You know where this is going! Ella will eventually find a way to be her true self but not before going through challenging and convoluted story twists that involve ogres, giants, mean stepsisters, a prince and more. (Nov. 19- Dec. 24, 2021; Recommended for ages 5+)

The first show of 2022 will be “The Snowy Day & Other Stories” a musical by Jerome Hairson,based on the book by Ezra Jack Keats, with music by Victor Zupanc. It’s about a boy named Peter and his friends who romp and play and start snow ball fights while exploring the challenges of growing up. At the Magik, the show will be directed by Darcell Bios. (Jan. 29 -Feb. 27, 2022; ages 3+)

And here’s a show that’s bound to be popular in San Antonio: “Selena Maria Sings,” by Miriam Gonzales, with music by Daniel French. Selena Maria is a girl named after the beloved Tejano star Selena Quintanilla. She loves music and singing, so her mother, who was a Selena fan, wants her daughter to follow in the footsteps of the late songstress. It’s another tale of finding and being true to oneself. (March 4- April 3, 2022; ages 5+)

The 2021-22 season concludes with “Junie B: Toothless Wonder,” the world premiere mentioned above. This one, too, is based on a book, or more accurately a book series, by Barbara Park, that tells about a young girl’s efforts to find her place in her first grade class. She’s losing a front tooth and, on top of that, she did not get invited to a birthday party by Jim who invited everyone else. (May 6 – June 12, 2022; 5+)

Since the press release described the season’s offerings as “inspiring and courageous,” we asked the director to comment on the “courageous” description, as we both chuckled.

“So many of these shows are about figuring out who you are as a young person growing up, finding your place in the world, and I do think that takes courage,” he said.

Though all shows will be presented in-person on stage, some will also be recorded for future streaming.

 “I see the value of capturing a live performance and making it available online,” he noted. “It is far more affordable now than it has ever been in the past to do something like that. “The video can be used in classrooms, and also, why not come first to see the show and then watch it at home as well. Or the other way around, seeing the video may make you more excited about coming to see it in the theater.”
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The Magik offers several subscription options, from $69 for five shows to $300 for 20 Flex Pass Subscription. Single tickets go on sale on July 12; to subscribe call 210- 227-2751 or go to www.magiktheatre.org/tickets. You can also visit the box office at 420 S. Alamo, 78205