👻 Magical Children's Mystery 🎶

Michael B. Brave is a heartwarming, kid-friendly musical about a boy and his best friend – a ghost! A ghost named Kirby, who died 70 years ago at age 11, and who lives (together with his squeaky pogo stick) in the basement of the suburban home of young Michael and his family. Michael gets along better with Kirby than with his bullying older brother, Bryan.

From different eras, but of the same age, Michael and Kirby team up to help Kirby find his mother who recently died but didn’t return to this world as a spirit. Together with Michael’s classmate Vickie Vargas and Kirby’s elderly uncle George Williams, the group learns that just about any problem – even the toughest and spookiest ones – can be solved with the right combination of friendship, kindness and pluck.

This musical, which includes a Halloween and Day of the Dead theme, is an adaptation of Kirby’s Dilemma, a novel by Chicago-based writer Iris Iglarsh. Lyrics and libretto are by Richard Gustin, a veteran actor, director and playwright, who lives in Milwaukee. Composer Greg Becker, who hails from Nashville, has previously written songs for Carrie Underwood and many other noted recording artists, and has a passion for musicals.

Geared for young audiences and families, Michael B. Brave is a high-spirited play that in a light, tuneful way, offers some heavy-duty lessons about confronting one’s fears and false assumptions. Featuring a panoply of musical styles, ranging from rap to ragtime to classic ballad, the work serves as an ideal introduction for youngsters to the world of musical theater. It calls for a diverse cast with some dancing ability and energy to burn.