Jane and the Magic Album is a resolutely old-fashioned musical about young Jane and how she struggles to adjust to her new home.
The show is something of a family affair, with Maria Stern on wardrobe, Sergei Stern as writer, composer and director, and Jane Ellen Stern as Jane and illustrator.
Jane’s room, designed with a bed and for a bookworm, lets her find a Magic Album containing characters from history (Shakespeare, Einstein, Sally Ride) who help her navigate life’s challenges.
In just over an hour, this musical stars Jane Ellen Stern, Aubrey Clyburn, Marcello Padilla, and Tara Parker. The plot did remind me a bit of Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World, a musical based on Kate Pankhurst’s picture book.
Time travel, artistic endeavours, and making do with life in California all feature in Stern’s world. Writing a musical for his daughter is clearly a labour of love for the composer, who is known more for his screen work.
Clyburn, Padilla, and Parker are adept in connecting with a young audience without being patronising, although young Miss Stern does dominate with a boisterous personality.
I wasn’t clear why these three people from history were chosen other than presenting literature, science and space. It also didn’t feel that Jane and the Magic Album needed to be a musical and at times the songs padded rather than enhanced the action.
Although this show is charming, there are more inventive pieces out there aimed at children of 3 and above and their families that rise above the average.
I’m giving this 2.5 stars.
Jane and the Magic Album is part of the Binge Fringe Festival and was performed live in week three; the capture is now available until 16 Nov at Santa Monica Playhouse’s YouTube channel.