The Magic Thinking Cap

From the creators of It's Not Always Easy Being a Kid, this new presentation by The Judy Theatre uses live action and puppetry to examine the problems of young Michael who, after being harassed by classmates at school, pulls the fire alarm in frustration. Confronted by his parents--angry father, even-headed mother--Michael and family temporarily put their differences on hold so they can go to The Judy Theatre. Once there, each family member takes a part in a puppet production of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." Running the show are Miss Judy and Pops, elderly puppets who make a few puppet jokes that will probably zip over kids' heads, and unveil something called a "Magic Thinking Cap," which is, purportedly a computer that shows both actions and thoughts. The idea is to engage the latter before the former, but the scope, timing, and credibility are all a little off here. Unlike It's Not Always Easy Being a Kid, which was much more focused, The Magic Thinking Cap is too scattered, raising more issues than it can comfortably resolve in half an hour. And the ending, in which Michael confronts his tormentors with a few well-chosen words of wisdom, after which he calmly walks away (instead of the more likely scenario of being drubbed into the dirt) won't convince too many young teens. More well-meaning than well-done, The Magic Thinking Cap is not a necessary purchase. (R. Pitman)