Holes

Holes is technically a family show. The book won a Newbery Medal in 1999 and Disney subsequently made a film. But any adult will find a lot to enjoy in this quirky tall tale, which is a fable of deferred justice and the power of fate.

The story sprawls from Lithuania to Texas, creating lots of opportunities for fun costumes and accents. The characters span three generations of two families: old-country peasants, pistol-toting cowboys, and present-day urban kids in name-brand athletic shoes.

The plot is almost kaleidoscopic, alternating past and present in ways that generate interesting patterns for the viewer. Exotic elements are incorporated, like an old gypsy curse, rattlesnake venom, buried loot and a female desperado named Kissin’ Kate Barlow.

Director Scott Gilbert adeptly manages this cunningly organized tale, with veteran comic actor Gary Wright playing five roles, and fellow cast members Nancy Keith, Miles Miniaci and Jenni Stephenson each playing four parts. Thirty-eight-year-old Johnny Pomatto plays the central role of the nerdy but sympathetic kid Stanley. The set, by Trefoni Michael Rizzi, looks simple at the outset, but yields multiple visual surprises as the tale unfolds.