Review: Madeline's Christmas | Dallas Childrens Theater | Rosewood Center for Family Arts

Dallas — You might think the only thing little girls have to worry about at Christmas would be what Santa was going to leave under the tree. But as Madeline might say with her cute little French accent, "Pooh-pooh." Especially since her Christmas involves taking care of 12 people with the sniffles.

Madeline is back at Dallas Children's Theater in a charming production of Madeline's Christmas, based on the 1956 book by Ludwig Bemelmans, the last of the Madeline books written by the feisty red-head's creator. The musical stage adaptation, with book and lyrics by Jennifer Kirkeby and music by Shirley Mier, was commissioned in 2004 by Stages Theatre Company in Minnesota and made its DCT premiere in 2008.

Fans of Madeline, the littlest girl among the 12 girls in two straight lines, won't be disappointed. Costume designer Laurie Land has faithfully recreated Madeline and her schoolmates in their navy blue coats, red ties and yellow hats with matching ribbons, and set designer Randel Wright has lovingly brought to life all of the charm and whimsy of the book's illustrations with Paris as a backdrop.

We meet Madeline and her friends as their headmistress, Miss Clavel, leads them off on a snowy field trip to the zoo. When they return, Miss Clavel and all of the girls except Madeline have come down with a cold. It turns out that Madeline had forgotten to wash her red scarf, so it wasn't in the basement drying with everyone else's, but was snug around her neck, saving her from getting "seek."

As Christmas approaches, it looks like the girls won't be able to travel home to see their families for the holiday. Not with Madeline in charge! She sends them all to bed, serves them hot soup and does all the chores. She even buys them all soft red rugs from a traveling rug merchant and gives him shelter from the cold. And without giving anything away, those rugs come in handy after all the girls recover from their colds just in time for Christmas Eve.

Under the direction of DCT Education Director Nancy Schaeffer, Madeline's Christmas is pure delight from the top of tall Regine's head right down to cute-as-a-button Madeline, played in the opening night performance by Sarah Youngblood. Youngblood seemed a little timid at first, but she soon overcame her opening night jitters and found Madeline's energy and feistiness. Her delivery was deliciously droll on lines like "I can be a handful" and her matter-of-fact explanation for why she didn't get sick, "I wore my scarf."

DCT's public relations director, Lisa Schreiner, plays Miss Clavel, headmistress of the boarding school. Her character walks the fine line of being "in charge," but not too strict, and Schreiner does it expertly. Her love for her 12 charges shines through as does the genuine rapport she has with the girls. Her lovely voice is a highlight of "Something Isn't Right/Joy of the Season."

Madeline meets her match for fun and adventure in Harsha, the rug merchant with tricks up his sleeve, played for laughs by David Lugo. Amy Mills completes the adult characters as the hilarious boarding school cook, Mrs. Murphy. The girls' new pet, Martin the Mouse, plays himself.

Musical Director Adam C. Wright has fun with songs like "Achoo!" and "Abracadabra." The musical numbers are enhanced by Shaeffer's simple, but delightful choreography.

Madeline's Christmas is filled with magic and visual surprises. Opening night's young audience was enthralled even though there wasn't a single mention of Santa. There is just enough French and playing with subtle accents to make the characters fun and the adults chuckle.

If you've seen the season's classics about snowmen, Santa and pageants, then it's time to take a page from Madeline this holiday season and "don't be afraid to try something new." And wear your scarf.