Barbie: The Princess & The Popstar

Basically a modern variation on the classic Mark Twain story "The Prince and the Pauper," Barbie: The Princess and the Popstar is a music-filled story about two high-profile girls, one a princess and one a pop singer, who appreciate their own fortunate circumstances, but sometimes long for simpler lives. Tori loves being a princess, but sometimes she wishes for fewer responsibilities and more time for fun--something she thinks her idol, pop star Keira, must have plenty of. While Keira is living her dream as a performer, she's frustrated with all the time-consuming logistics her job entails. She wishes she just had some leisure time to write songs and relax--and leisure is something she assumes a princess's life is full of. Tori and Keira meet and discover that, with a little help from a couple of magical accessories, they can switch places for a day. The girls find out that life is complicated whether you're a princess or a pop star, but when they are prevented from switching back to their own lives before a big concert, things get really messy. Add in Keira's manager, whose main concern is promoting his own career, and a dire threat to a hidden secret that's vital to the entire kingdom, and the stakes suddenly become very high. This production is full of catchy pop music that includes a cover of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." The program paints a glitzy picture of life in the spotlight that girls ages 3 to 8 will love--never mind that parents will swear they've heard this story before. --Tami Horiuchi