Performing Arts

Warning: If You Give a Pig a Party at Dallas Children's Theater may give you a case of the giggles.

A day after seeing the show, my 3-year-old niece, Emma Granberry, was still laughing as she suddenly remembered scenes such as Dog howling (before doing the right thing) when his animal friends expect him to share his delicious doughnut.

And I'm still struggling to dislodge B. Wolf's catchy theme song, "If You Give a Pig a Party," from my brain.

But if you're up to some infectious fun with a whole lot of eager preschoolers such as the ones who packed the theater with Emma and her 3-year-old date, Jack, Saturday afternoon, I can't think of a sillier or sweeter show to recommend.

Adapted from the popular picture book, the play offers up a fairly faithful take on Laura Numeroff's comical "if ... then" story of what happens if you give a party ("She's going to ask for some balloons. When you give her the balloons, she'll want to decorate the house ...").

Which means that there aren't a lot of plot surprises for the book's fans – yet another plus for those, such as Emma, for whom dependability is a virtue. Emma told me during intermission that a pillow fight would be coming. And she couldn't have been happier when a glorious, vigorous bashing of pillows ensued.

It's the return of DCT's national tour of the show, which company artists Nancy Schaeffer and B. Wolf originally created and premiered in the fall of 2006. But while it's produced on a reduced scale – smaller set, taped rather than live music – it benefits from performers who have lived in their characters' fur through 61 cities for many months.

And the experience shows, in the ensemble's singing, dancing and charm. Whether it is Charlet Dupar's diminutive Mouse or Paul Logsdon's tall, bow-tied Moose merrily colliding with bumper cars, Emily Prochaska's Cat fitting a tiny bike helmet on the stuffed snake around her neck or Ashley Duplechain's Girl and Billie Bryant's Pig playing hide-and-seek in the aisles, the ensemble proved as in tune with the kids as great dance partners are with each other.

While each performer shone, just one more warning for kids who wait for autographs from the actors in the lobby after the show: Pounce on the puppy. Dog (Rick Spivey) was the only paw print that Emma didn't get on her poster – that's because the line of kids waiting for this charismatic canine was too doggone long.Plan

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Through May 25 at the Rosewood Center for Family Arts, 5938 Skillman St. Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. and Sundays at 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. 75 mins. $14 to $23, half-price Saturday, May 17, for Target Time Family Series. 214-740-0051, www.dct.org.

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