Theatre Review: "Why I'm Scared Of Dance"

by Bob Nelson
KYW Newsradio

Jennifer Childs, billed in local circles as Philadelphia's reigning queen of comedy, has created a number of original theatre pieces, her most recent titled "Why I'm Scared of Dance."

Currently at the Plays & Players Theatre, this is Childs' first one-woman show.

It takes place on a bare stage except for a small table and chair, and a coat rack loaded with props. 

Our star explains describes the world she wanted to be a part of from the beginning: the world of dance!

The dance floor, she insists is "the great equalizer," and she's always had designs on it.  She recalls the students who knew their way around the floor, and the nobodys who became somebodys with jazz, hip-hop, or slow dance.  There was the world of ballet with its precision, posture, and technique, and show tunes familiar to the multitudes.

Childs dabbles in these worlds as best she can, passing her admiration to her young daughter.   No question: she's studied the fields with admiration mixed with a humorous excess.
 
Indeed, Jen Childs isn't scared to dance.  Her uninterrupted program is a passionate display of a world she admires from an educated distance.

The "love affair" runs through October 31st at Plays and Players, 1714 Delancey Place, in center city Philadelphia.

Photo provided