I don't often have this happen -- so I thought I'd share.

After seeing a performance of "I Love a Piano: The Music of Irving Berlin" at Canterbury Summer Theatre, a reviewer from another newspaper and I walked out together saying the same thing -- "These kids have fabulous voices!"

The story opens at a New Year's Eve party in the present. When a guest asks the host to play the piano, he admits he doesn't know how to play, he just thought this piano had a story to tell.

Guests leave, the lights go down and the scene changes -- it's 1910 in Alexander's Music Shop. A song demonstrator is encouraging patrons to buy sheet music such as "Alexander's Ragtime Band."

Then the musical steps off, following Berlin's career in chronological order -- in speakeasies, talkies, theaters, clubs and the U.S.O., through the Depression, the war and more.

The ensemble cast of eight -- Elisa James, Mandy Nousain, Vanessa Schroeder, Molly Tower, Casey Bozenski, Michael Dhesse, Daniel Ermel and Brandon Zale -- has the best blend of voices I've heard at Canterbury. They did a terrific job with Berlin classics like "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better," "There's No Business Like Show Business," "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody," White Christmas," "Easter Parade" and of course "I Love a Piano." Take a trip to Michigan City tonight or Saturday. You'll be glad you did. FYI: (219) 874-4269 or festivalplayersguild.org.

I'm not exactly sure how to describe "500 Clown and the Elephant Deal," now playing at Steppenwolf Upstairs Theatre. It's a runaway musical event, sort of a circus of the mind. Madame Barker (Molly Brennan) is the Mistress of Ceremonies, but she's a clown, too. Bruce (Adrian Danzig), Shank (Paul Kalina), Cheetah (Matt Hawkins) and Viola (Jessica Hudson) are the stage crew, but they're clowns, too.

Although everyone looks mostly normal at first, Madame Barker's costumes become more and more clown-like, while the crew sport bright red ears. A steel truss and some ropes and pulleys used for dangerous stunts and a dressing room door make up the set, with composer/musical director John Fournier and the band in the background.

The audience is part of the show, too, starting with the cast acting as ushers. "500 Clown and the Elephant Deal," which runs through July 11, is funny, but adult oriented. I'd call it very blue. If you go, go casual and prepare to have fun. FYI: (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org

The opinions expressed are solely the writer's. Reach her at laughingcat_98@yahoo.com.