Take a remarkable journey with a nine year old girl named Dani, she of the indomitable heart and dancing spirit, who should be making dioramas on animals and ecology and planning teddy bear tea parties and movie dates with girl pals and instead is fighting for her life. No matter where in the state of Connecticut you reside, it is worth getting out your GPS and planning a visit to the newly renovated Spirit of Broadway Theater in Norwich to see the incredibly moving novel musical "Dani Girl" by the writing team of Chris Dimond and Michael Kooman playing until Sunday, February 10.
Annie Fowler as Dani is going to grab your heart and squeeze it dry, so come with a box of Kleenex. She sings with a radiant soul about childhood leukemia, the despair of losing her lovely hair, the need for hope and the delightful sense of magic and imagination and humor that will help her find her way through the maze of disease.
Laugh with her as she eulogizes her teddy bear Mr. Fritz, plays games of life and death with her guardian angel Raph, a versatile Rob Grgach,draws courage and faith from her vigilant and devoted mother, a supportive Lara Morton, and embraces the friendship of a fellow cancer patient Marty, a heroic minded Erik Jonathan Shuler.
In her pink Mickey Mouse pajamas, Dani challenges herself to discover the puzzling answer to "why is cancer?" With Marty as her assistant, she operates on Mr. Fritz, a victim of ovarian cancer, with a scalpel and bubblegum to learn if his stuffing will reveal the answers she seeks.
Meanwhile Marty watches movies to forget, because as Indiana Jones or Superman he will battle and win his crusade. Heroes never die in "I Love the Movies." Dani' s mom imagines herself, in the moving song "The Sun Still Rose That Day," as a queen whose king has deserted her, with her beautiful baby princess imprisoned by a beast, waiting to be rescued.
For his part, Raph entertains and distracts Dani with a series of games and escapades, encouraging her to find the reason for cancer and win her hair back. Brett Bernardini directs this compelling and inspiring story of hope, love and promise.
For tickets ($32), call Spirit of Broadway Theater, 24 Chestnut Street, Norwich at 860-886-2378 or online at www.spiritofbroadway.org. Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Inquire about their Special Spa Dinner and Theater Package.
Come along on a life affirming journey that will help you to value every day and learn the lesson "don't postpone joy." It's quite okay to snuggle with your favorite stuffed animal during the show, we pinky-swear.
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