In its storied history, Hale Centre Theatre has never shied away from introducing new regional

productions and taking audiences on adventures they haven’t previously experienced. Such is

the case with “The Magician’s Elephant,” playing on the Young Living Centre Stage.

Based on the 2009 novel by Kate DiCamillo, the musical centers on the imaginary town of

Baltese which is recovering from a great war that has caused doom and gloom for its

inhabitants. They include Peter Duchene, the central character, an orphan after his parents’

death who wonders if his baby sister Adele might still be alive—and if he can find her. In the

market square of the town, a fortune teller appears and tells Peter that if he will “follow the

elephant, she will lead you” to find his sister.

And yes, there are plenty of skeptics about the existence of an elephant and any magical powers the animal might have. Answers are forthcoming as the tale of Peter, the town folks and the mean Countess Matienne all vie to find the elephant and gain his favor.

The script from writers Nancy Harris and Marc Teitler presents a challenge for the audience, as

the songs are unknown. The cast does a fine job performing them, but there’s nothing to

compare them to since few have ever heard them before. The script proves a combination of

tender moments and some repetitious cliches, but that doesn’t take away from solid

performances from Weston Wright as Peter (in the Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday cast), Malia

Morris as the narrator, Becky Jeanne Knowles as Countess Matienne, and Paige Hochalter at

Adele. The supporting cast is also solid, but the real star of this show, at least for me, was the

elephant.

Yes, it does appear under the magical guidance of puppeteers Sam Cooper, Julia Wihongi,

Daniel Miskin and Sarah Neipp. They bring the elephant to life, with wagging ears, a wandering

trunk and batting eyes. Even though audiences can tell it isn’t a real elephant, its movements

and actions feel very real. You root for the elephant to be free to help Peter and eventually itself.

Hale Centre always does an amazing job staging large stories on a condensed stage, and “The

Magician’s Elephant” is no different. Yes, sets do pop up as usual from underground and drop in

from above, but this story centers around the elephant and Peter’s efforts to follow it and find his

long lost sister.

My only suggestion is that this production could have been a bit shorter, and the ending seemed

a little drawn out. But the story is endearing and it conveys a message of staying hopeful and

believing in the power of magic.

“The Magician’s Elephant” continues each Monday through Saturday through October 19. Hale

Centre Theatre is located at 9900 South Monroe Street in Sandy. The box office can be reached

at 801-984-9000.