For many, summer is synonymous with swimming pools and popsicles, but for this lifelong reader, nothing feels more like summer than the musky scent of printed paper. Even now, the smell transports me back to my childhood bedroom, tearing through the next in the series by Madeleine L’Engle or powering through an all-nighter of the newest Harry Potter.
In between various camps and plenty of outdoor time, my incoming third grader and I accepted an exciting summer challenge: read a book, then spend a night at the theater to experience its translation onto the stage.
And honestly, it was more magical than I could have ever imagined.
The Assignment
Though it was published in 1993, “Freak the Mighty” by Rodman Philbrick never made it across my childhood desk. My eight-year-old reads chapter books on her own, but I insisted on reading this one aloud to her so that we could experience it together for the first time.
Two or three chapters became our nightly ritual. They are short, averaging something like six minutes to complete. The novel is 192 pages total, and it took us a couple weeks of routine reading to finish. We would snuggle in her bed and get lost in the highs and lows of two children finding their voice through friendship, courage and empathy.
A note of caution: this book has more mature themes and would be ideal for ages 10+. My daughter had no problem with the more grown-up concepts. It was, however, a conversation starter and explaining rare genetic conditions, childhood death, spousal homicide, kidnapping mand bullying may not be on everyone’s summer bucket list.
(Image: Candice McMillan / Seattle’s Child)
The Premise
“I never had a brain until Freak came along…”
From its opening line, “Freak the Mighty” establishes its pressing themes. Its protagonist, Maxwell Kane, is an oafish middle-schooler struggling with self-esteem and body and intellect insecurity. He’s not only big for his age, but his family history makes him an easy target for school bullies. He can’t escape the shadow of his father Kenny “Killer” Kane, who’s been locked away for murdering Max’s mother and who makes an, admittedly, terrifying return in the stories’ second half.
Life for Max changes irrevocably when Kevin “Freak” Avery moves into the neighborhood. Freak has an encyclopedia mind, but he’s physically impaired by Morquoio syndrome, a rare metabolic disorder that causes dwarfism and serious physical disabilities. Freak is too smart, and Max is too large. When they put their powers together – literally, Freak sits atop the behemoth shoulders of 6-foot-something Maxwell – they become Freak the Mighty, a mythically strong warrior whose imagination is only matched by their kindness and courage.
The novel is filled with lessons. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Greatness comes in all sizes. Freak admires Max’s honest and pragmatic view of the world. Max learns to partake in the whimsical insight that Freak infuses into everyday living, a survival tactic he’s learned from his life-shortening prognosis. The story is heartwarming, funny and, at times, devastating.
(Image courtesy Seattle Rep)
The Field Trip
It’s a tall order to translate such a soul-piercing story and its larger-than-life characters into a stage production, but “Freak the Mighty,” making its world premiere at Seattle Rep, has risen to the challenge. Produced in partnership with Cleveland Play House, “Freak the Mighty” is an utterly arresting adaptation, breathing life to underrepresented stories and giving a voice to a diverse cast of characters.
Representation is an indelible piece of this puzzle, and I watched as my daughter’s worldview shifted during the two-and-a-half-hour musical. She whispered excitedly when actor Netza Jimenez first took the stage. His physical imposition, countered by his gentle stage presence, were exactly as she had imagined of Maxwell from the book.
But it is performer Cornelius Kittrell who brings the story into technicolor with his powerful portrayal of Freak. I’m not sure what exactly my daughter had envisioned of that character, given the book’s subtle descriptions of his physical appearance, but she left the show with curiosity ablaze and maybe a tear or two by the story’s gorgeously heartbreaking ending. The inquisitive fire it ignited in her was the result of pure theater wizardry. “Freak the Mighty” is fairly loyal to its source material, though the third grader to my right was sure to point out every difference. This led to a conversation about artistic discretion, like how it made much more sense for the writer to exclude the trivial fact that Freak became sick on his 13 th birthday.
From Maxwell’s “down under” basement bedroom to the vibrant streets of 90s Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the scenic design by Wilson Chin sets a solid scene for its colorful characters. Many of the catchy musical numbers (consensus is that “A Day in the Life of Maxwell Kane” and “King Arthur’s Round Table” are the favorites) hinge on, not only the vocal competency of Jimenez and Kittrell, but their commitment to the emotional underbelly of the story.
(Image: Candice McMillan / Seattle’s Child)
The After
“That was really cool,” my daughter told me upon leaving the theater at Seattle Rep. “Thanks for doing that with me.”
It was late when the show ended. Way past her bedtime. But I have a feeling we’ll be chasing the “Freak the Mighty” connection for many summers to come.
Know Before You Go
- Dates: The show runs through September 6, with a variety of showtimes spanning the morning and evening.
- Runtime: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes including one 20-minute intermission
- Tickets
- Recommended Age: 7+ for depictions of physical violence, kidnapping bullying and discussion of spousal homicide and the death of a child
- Location: Seattle Rep is located at 155 Mercer Street Seattle WA 98109
- Sensory Notes:This production uses stage fog and smoke.
- Special Performances:
- The ASL & Audio Described Performance is August 22 at 2:00 p.m.
- The English Open Captions Performance is August 13 at 7:30 p.m. and August 19 at 2:00 p.m.
- Parking: Garage and street parking are available with payment. Give yourself ample time if there is an event at Climate Pledge Arena.
