Review: 'Harold and the Purple Crayon' draws on childhood experiences

"The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon" showed ingenuity in depicting the drawings of a toddler and his purple crayon.

The Pittsburgh International Children's Theater play, which concluded Sunday after several performances throughout the Pittsburgh area, brought to life five of author Crockett Johnson's beloved Harold books.

Heather Fox of Philadelphia played the Harold character entirely through miming, while a giant video screen backing her showed the drawings happening. She leapt all over the stage with Harold's enthusiasm, and waved her giant crayon prop while the animated drawings took shape on the screen. She wore a mask and blue blanket pajamas to depict Harold's curious character, who finds a crayon-created friend by the end of the funny play.

"The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon" -- created by Philadelphia-based Enchantment Theatre Company -- surely delighted the parents who grew up with the same Johnson books as the children they brought.