Never understood the mythological staying power of Little Red Riding Hood. Girl walks through woods to bring food to sick granny; girl meets wolf who would eat her but for the public nature of his carnage; wolf arrives at granny's house first and eats granny whole; wolf dresses in granny drag and when girl arrives, he eats her too, also whole; hunter arrives, performs stomach-ectomy on wolf and pulls out girl and granny who remarkably are alive—and whole. There's got to be some universal lesson here about not straying from the path, or rebirth, or how wearing red brings out the animal in us all, but this is one scary fairy story. Perhaps putting it to music, like Fort Worth's Casa Mañana Theatre's Children's Playhouse is doing, will make it less frightening for kids—and me. And with any luck, the music will include a cover of Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs' 1969 cult classic, "'Lil Red Riding Hood," which explores the myth from the wolf's POV. Better that than resort to one of the earliest incarnations of the myth, which has Little Red cannibalizing granny. Don't ask. Performances run Saturday through April 20. For further info and tickets call 817-332-2272 or visit casamanana.org.
Fridays, 7 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 & 7 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Starts: April 4. Continues through April 20, 2008