Arts Center stage brims with a chorus of critters

Familiar farm animals are indulging in all sorts of unbridled behavior during the Arkansas Arts Center’s production of Giggle, Giggle, Quack.

That’s because their boss, Farmer Brown, is on vacation in Waikiki. While he’s away, his cows, chickens and pigs are eating anchovy pizzas, enjoying luxe bubble baths and staging glamorous red-carpet movie nights.

None of this would be happening were it not for a tall yellow duck. He’s got a pencil, and he knows how to use it.

The colorfully fantastic farmyard musical, which opened Friday, concerns a spontaneous decision to take a break from chores by stressed-out Farmer Brown (John Isner, totally owning the role), who, still in his signature overalls and straw hat, is on a beach, blissfully watching Polynesian dancers perform while drinking umbrella-adorned beverages. He’s left his citified brother Bob (also played by Isner, this time in a bow tie) in charge of the animals.

Bob is unaware that Farmer Brown’s impeccably designed checklist of responsibilities gets a major rewrite by pencil-wielding Duck (Jared Thomas Kneip Gibson), who uses the boss’ getaway to stage a full-blown animal party, complete with cross-species dancing and ukulele playing.

It’s just as goofy and absurd as it sounds.

The Barnyard Minstrels — Dolly (Samantha Harrington), Donny (Brandon Nichols) and Dotty (Sharon Combs) — decked out in square dance garb, serve as a sort of Greek chorus that aids in interpreting the nonverbal but noisy animals’ antics to the audience, which on opening night was well stocked with very young theatergoers who got several chances to sing along.

The 55-minute production is based on a popular best-seller written by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Betsy Lewin, creators of Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type.

Giggle, Giggle, Quack continues through Oct. 8 at the Children’s Theatre, at Ninth and Commerce streets in Little Rock. Information is available by calling (501) 372-4000 or visiting arkansasartscenter.org.