Junie B Jones, the very fiery, very funny first grader, has flown off the page and onto the stage with Valley Youth Theatre’s “Junie B Jones the Musical.”
The musical opened April 7 and performances go through April 30 at Valley Youth Theatre at First Street and Filmore in downtown Phoenix.
Based on four of the beloved books by Arizona’s own Barbra Park and written by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich, “Junie B Jones the Musical” is delightful, with laughs for both kids and adults and songs that are filled with fun.
It's Junie B.'s first day of first grade, and a lot of things have changed for her. Junie's friend, Lucille, doesn't want to be her best pal anymore and, on the bus, Junie B. makes friends with Herb, the new kid at school. Also, Junie has trouble reading the blackboard and her teacher, Mr. Scary, thinks she may need glasses. Throw in a friendly cafeteria lady, a kickball tournament and a “Top-Secret Personal Beeswax Journal,” and first grade has never been more exciting.
Awaken a young person's desire to read with the zany, outspoken and loveable Junie B. Jones and her adventures in first grade.
Along with its public shows, Valley Youth Theatre will host school field trips, as well as Valley Youth Theatre’s Literacy and The Arts program, the award-winning program that gives students from Title 1 schools a page-to-stage experience by combining in-school learning with the experience of live theatre.
Literacy and The Arts for Junie B. Jones was made possible by a gift from the estate of Barbara Park. Park, who spent most of her adult life in Arizona, wrote over fifty books for young readers before she passed from ovarian cancer in 2013.
Valley Youth Theatre’s “Junie B Jones the Musical” is produced and directed by Bobb Cooper with co-music direction by Mark Fearey and Tyler Thompson.
Performances of “Junie B Jones the Musical” are on Saturdays, April 15, 22 and 29 at noon and 3:30 p.m. and Sundays, April 16, 23 and 30 at 12:30 and 4 p.m. The theatre is located at 525 N. First St. in Downtown Phoenix. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at vyt.com/tickets, by calling the box office at 602-253-8188 or in-person before the show.
Valley Youth Theatre’s mission is to inspire young people to be the best they can be through a variety of performing arts opportunities. Along with their mainstage performances, the theatre offers eight-week fall, winter and spring performing arts classes, as well as spring break and summer camps. For more information on Valley Youth Theatre, visit vyt.com.
