The cast of Bubble Boy (Micah Thompson/Spinning Tree Theatre)
It’s hard to think of a better home for the Kansas City premiere of Bubble Boy than with Spinning Tree Theatre. The 2013 musical is about a boy working to find his place in a world he’s been kept separate from due to his unique disability. Spinning Tree’s mission is to provide opportunities and experiences in performing arts to young people of all abilities, and they have tackled this show with the empathy and compassion you might expect while keeping its humor and effervescent sense of fun throughout.
Bubble Boy was written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, adapted from their own 2001 comedy film of the same name. It tells the story of Jimmy Livingston, who was born with a severely impaired immune system and grew up in a hermetically sealed bubble of a bedroom designed to keep him safe from germs—and the rest of the world’s ills if his overprotective, overbearing mother has anything to say about it.
As a teenager, Jimmy has never even met another person apart from his parents until new girl Chloe moves in next door, having come to live with her aunt after some vague trouble at home. Chloe comes to meet Jimmy mostly out of curiosity, but the two quickly develop a deep friendship. Jimmy is immediately smitten—even before they ever actually meet—while Chloe takes some time to accept that she both does and deserves to have romantic feelings for the kind boy in the bubble. Jordan Rosenwald is endearing as Chloe, wearing her vulnerability on her sleeve as she’s caught between her growing feelings for Jimmy and her fear of breaking out of the role she’s found herself relegated to by her peers and the adults around her: that of a bad influence, a “troubled teen,” and someone who just generally shouldn’t aim too high or expect too much.
When Chloe decides that her dopey, wanna-be rock star boyfriend Mark (a hilarious scene-stealing Caleb Mitchell) is probably the best she’ll ever do and agrees to marry him, Jimmy makes the bold move to leave his bedroom, stop the wedding, and confess his feelings. He constructs a bubble suit and sets off on a cross-country journey, getting a crash course in the outside world along the way. He encounters a biker gang, a cult, and all sorts of fascinating characters on his travels, giving the ensemble of actors a bounty of catchy songs and funny bits to mine.
The work director Michael Grayman-Parkhurst has done with these young actors is remarkable. There are several standout performances that are truly impressive, and not just within the context of a youth production. Frankie Nelson is a delight as Jimmy’s conservative (and increasingly bigoted) mother. You can see her genuine love for her son, even if it does manifest as locking him away from the world and convincing him Highlights magazine and Veggie Tales are the only media that exist in the world in an oppressive attempt to maintain his innocence. And as Jimmy, Joshua Johnson shines. He captures every bit of humor and pathos of the character while also nailing the vocals.
Spinning Tree’s shows typically have short, one-weekend runs, but for those who missed Bubble Boy, the show still serves as a reminder of the fantastic, inclusive work this organization is doing for and with its community of young people of all abilities.
Spinning Tree Theatre’s “Bubble Boy” ran through November 3 at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, 8788 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park. For more information, visit spinningtreetheatre.com.
