Meredith – The Winnipesaukee Playhouse continues the 2021 season with a little-known but soon to be much-loved musical called Dani Girl. The four-person musical is about a young girl’s magically imaginative adventure in the face of childhood cancer. The heartbreaking topic is written with joy, warmth, and humor by Michael Koomans and Christopher Dimond and plays on the Playhouse’s outdoor amphitheatre from July 14-31.

Dani is a precocious nine-year-old who is battling leukemia with the help of her imaginary friend, Raph. Together she, Raph, and her favorite stuffed bear embark on fantastical adventures as she attempts to answer the question of “why cancer?” and win back her hair. During her latest hospital stay, Dani is joined by another patient, Merriweather Flowers, a science fiction obsessed tween who prefers to go by the name Marty Luke McFly Skywalker in homage to his cinema heroes. Dani and Marty join forces (pun intended) to battle cancer both literally and figuratively.

Audience favorite Rebecca Tucker returns for her eighth season at the Playhouse to play Dani’s Mother. She is joined by William Vaughn who is fondly remembered as the Playhouse’s very first panto dame, in addition to other award-winning roles, as Raph. The children are played by Marcus Wells, who was last seen in the Playhouse’s powerful production of “Master Harold”… and the Boys, and Amanda Lattanzi, a recent Plymouth State University graduate who is making her Playhouse debut as Dani. The production is directed by Aileen Wells McGroddy who directed the Playhouse’s production of Or, last fall which was then transferred to Portland Stage in Maine.

Scenic designer Neil Pankhurst provided McGroddy and her cast with a literal jungle gym to play on. An actual children’s jungle gym has been erected on the amphitheatre stage, allowing the cast to let their imaginations take off. Lattanzi says, “performing on the jungle gym is definitely a challenge because you’re figuring out where you’re going, and then singing, and then making sure you’re not falling off the jungle gym. But it’s actually really cool because you get a lot of different perspectives and can see things from different heights.”

The cast hopes the audience takes away a lot of joy and silliness they feel comes through in this production. Tucker says, “I think audiences will be completely surprised by this show. I don’t think it’s going to be what they expect at all. I think there is so much fun, and joy, and heart in it. And I don’t think they’ll expect to laugh as much as they will.”

That sentiment was echoed by reviewer Jaques Lamarre when he reviewed a 2013 production of Dani Girl in Norwich,CT. He said, “Dani Girl is quite simply the most fun musical you will ever see about childhood cancer! Yes, you read that correctly. I’m as surprised typing it as you are reading it. If there is one subject that seems like it would be ill-suited for musical comedy, it would be childhood cancer… Don’t let the inherent downer that is leukemia keep you from seeing this musical as you will likely be hard-pressed to find a show that is more original, smart, charming and creative this year.”

The production overlaps with the final week of Anthony Shaffer’s Sleuth which continues to perform on the indoor stage through Saturday, July 17th.

Dani Girl is sponsored by Re/Max Bayside. Tickets range from $29-$39. The Playhouse is focused on safety and has published a page of COVID-19 protocols on their website to prepare patrons for what to expect when they attend the theatre. Protocols may change throughout the season as the situation evolves. Tickets for all productions can be purchased by calling the box office at (603) 279-0333.