Junie B. Jones Review

Theatreworks USA! brought back some great memories for many a parent this past weekend at College of Dupage's The Mac as they presented their musical rendition of the children's modern classic: Junie B. Jones. The show highlighted the flights and plights of first-grade troublemaker Junie B. Jones and her classmates. They brought this story to life through exciting song and dance. The excitement and energy was prevalent as kids and parents were clapping and bopping along throughout the afternoon show.

Adapted from Barbara Park’s children’s series, “Junie B. Jones,” the musical compiles the highlights of Junie’s adventures throughout first grade. From crossing the first-grade threshold, to conquests over the boss of lunch, to kickball tournaments gone wrong, the production explores the feelings of adolescence through the lens of Junie’s “Top-Secret Personal Beeswax Journal.” 

Mary Faber did a fantastic job channeling her inner first grader for a laugh inducing performance. Her vibrant energy and sassy attitude connected her immediately to the young audience. The set design, by Luke Hegel-Cantarella, was reflective of the content and so fun to look at. The pages of a huge journal under lock and key were the perfect backdrop to the classroom sets that were filled with song and dance. 

The MAC was such a great setting for this show and the venue continues to bring riveting and relevant shows to the local public. McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage is located 25 miles west of Chicago near I-88 and I-355, and houses three performance spaces (the 780-seat proscenium Belushi Performance Hall; the 186-seat soft-thrust Playhouse Theatre; and the versatile black box Studio Theatre), plus the Cleve Carney Art Gallery, classrooms for the college’s academic programming and the Lakeside Pavilion. 

The venue was welcoming and yet spacious enough for the crowd. The mission of the MAC is to foster enlightened educational and performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community. The organization continues to accomplish this mission season after season for a wide variety of audiences including families, young adults and so many more. For more information about the MAC, visit AtTheMAC.org.