THEATER: Theater has designs on Toymaker's Apprentice

LITTLE ROCK — Two human children vie for the coveted title of The Toymaker's Apprentice in a shop populated by not-entirely-human toymakers in the Arkansas Arts Center Children's Theatre's Christmas show, opening today at the Arts Center in Little Rock's MacArthur Park.

Alan Keith Smith adapted former Children's Theatre company member Martin McGeachy's script.

Libby (Katherine Campbell) and Jack (Josh Rice) are the two finalists in the search for the perfect apprentice for toymaker Gideon (Brett Ihler), whose shop becomes a magical and busy place as Christmas approaches.

Gideon promises the job to the child who creates the best toy.

"It's more of a design shop," explains Kristy Barrington, who plays Spark, the shop's creative sprite (as compared to Mark Hansen's Spring, the technical genius). The toys are then farmed out to a special factory.

The six-month competition is supposed to culminate with the final toy completion in early December.

"[Jack is] a snotty brat, and [Libby is] a fighter, sort of like Anne of Green Gables or Jo in Little Women," says Campbell, who just came off dual roles as Mrs. and Grandma Miller in Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business. "And there's a lot of hubbub about her being a girl, because there's never been a girl apprentice before."

Shawn Michael Cox, whose recent Children's Theatre roles include Squire Trelawney in Treasure Island and Grandpa Miller in Junie B. Jones, plays Mr.

Pricket, the workshop manager, whom he describes as "elfishstout-portly."

"He's responsible for making sure everything is done and in a timely fashion, and that everybody stays on their feet," he explains.

Rounding out the cast are Kelsie Craig as Sprit and Jimi Brewi, Carl Napolitano and Madison Sullivan as Toy Testers.

Bradley D. Anderson directs.

Cox notes that the show includes a mixture of new songs and songs from previous Arts Center productions, all by house composer Lori Isner, and everybody in the cast sings.

Barrington praised M.A.

Hare's set design, which she calls "visually quite stunning."The setting is sort of 1920s, "no plastic, no assembly lines," and the lighting design includes "Technicolor welding going onbehind the doors." Campbell says the show should inspire children and adults to recapture "the truemeaning of play."

"A simple toy is just as inspiring to a child as an Xbox," she says.

The Toymaker's Apprentice 7 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m.

Sunday through Dec. 21, Arkansas Arts Center Children's Theatre, Arkansas Arts Center, MacArthur Park, 10th and Commerce streets, Little Rock Season sponsors: Target; Marcus Worth Logue and Richard M. Logue M.D.

Memorial Gift Tickets: $14, $11 children; Arts Center members and groups of 10 or more receive a discount (501) 372-4000; (800) 264-2787www.

arkarts.com