'Mr. Popper's Penguins'
Opens Friday: British puppet designer Nick Barnes, whose evocative figures were part of the opening ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics, has crafted the penguin puppets for this touring musical. Adapted from the classic children's book, "Penguins" is about a humble house painter whose yen for adventure takes an unexpected turn with a gift from an Antarctic explorer. With songs by Luke Bateman and Richy Hughes and a British cast led by Richard Holt, the show is about friendship and the pursuit of dreams. But given the threat to these polar creatures' habitat, can we still be charmed by this story, originally published in 1938? (7 p.m. Fri., 2 & 5 p.m. Sat.-Sun., 7 p.m. Thu. Ends Feb. 24. Children's Theatre, 2400 3rd Av. S., Mpls. $15-$64. 612-874-0400 or childrenstheatre.org.).
Rohan Preston
