"Madagascar: A Musical Adventure" at the Magik Theatre

"MadaGascar:  A Musical Adventure"

Based on the 2005 Dreamworks' Animation Motion Picture, "Madagascar" explores live, on-stage the awesome adventures of New York's Central Park Zoo animals, Alex the Lion (Cody Lyle Asher), Gloria the Hippo (Alaia Brown), Marty the Zebra (Delvin James), and Melman the Giraffe (Venny Mortimer).  

Having always been city-bound, the four zoo friends have cultivated their enjoyment of the urban lifestyle, especially Alex (who enjoys being the center of attention with his daily shows to zoo visitors) and Melman (who is happy his hypochondriacal symptoms can be fully addressed by zoo staff on a regular basis).  But, upon his 10th birthday, Marty wants more than what containment can offer and seeks to go out into the wild with the help of four very militaristic (and kooky) penguins, led by Skipper (Gazelle Garcia).  Marty's zoo pals soon follow to find him, and through a series of events, eventually find themselves piloted on a boat by the penguins (headed to Antartica) but, instead, wash up accidentally on the island of Madagascar.  There, the four fast friends meet King Julien the Lemur (Jeremy Bilbo) and have to confront the difficulties of wild living while coping with understanding their true wild natures.

Magik Theatre's performance is filled with original music and lyrics not seen in the movie, but the near-iconic "Move It, Move It" remains in the show (and is reprised in a fun post-show, dance-in-your-seat for the younger theater-goers).  And, the show tries to be as up-to-date as possible, including Marty's floss dance, much to the young audience's squeals of delight.  Best among the musical numbers is standout Cody Lyle Asher as Alex in "The King of New York City," replete with mirrored sunglasses and 80s rock n' roll regalia for the kind, but self-involved, Alex.  By far, the cast is strongest and most commanding when in full voice together.  

Unfortunately, King Julien's performance when speaking, though seemingly comical and witty, was hard to hear in the upper balcony, losing its standout potential with muddled sound for the youngest attendees.  But, the show, doesn't lose its footing often throughout its quick hour-ish run time. Very entertainingly, the show reengages its audience by using puppetry for both the penguins and lemurs.  The crafty and comical penguins, in particular, seemed to charm the audience with their every appearance.

"Madagascar: A Musical Adventure" is an enjoyable last addition to Magik Theatre's 2017-2018 season and is an ideal way to have summer family time together downtown. The show is likely best enjoyed by ages 5-10 years, but is still appropriate for younger children who feel comfortable watching live performances. 

The show runs through August 12, 2018, at the Magik Theatre (use promo code: MAGIK MOM for 50 percent off).