Just as First Stage produces a lot of plays with messages directed at older kids – most of which can be enjoyed by adults as well – the company can also deliver for the little kids.

And that’s on full and joyous display in "Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse," under the direction of Marcella Kearns, that opened at the Marcus Center Friday night.

Based on the books by Kevin Henkes, there are 90 minutes of screams, surprises and giggles abundant enough to fill, well, a big purple plastic purse.

Lily is a mouse who lives, no surprise, in a mouse world with a mouse mother and father (Chike Johnson and Elyse Edelman), a bunch of mouse classmates, two mouse best friends in Chester and Wilson (Ben Usatinsky and Spencer Tomich), a mouse teacher (Bo Johnson) and a "lump" of a little brother named Julius (darlingly played by Lina Singh).

Lily is a little mouse whose overriding goal in life is to be "Queen of the World." Along the way, she decides to be one thing or another, ranging from an opera diva to a schoolteacher. To say that Lily lives in a colorful world is like saying cotton candy is sweet.

Her life is filled to the brim. She loves everything, with the possible exception of Julius. Her disappointment in her brother is equaled only by the disappointment she feels when nobody in her class – including her teacher – shows any interest in the big purple plastic purse that was a gift from her grandmother.

Lily, played by Emily Harris in the Purple Cast I saw opening night, hides her various disappointments by acting out and wrapping herself in a self-centered display of a youngster looking for attention and not finding it anywhere.

Harris is wild and funny as she takes the audience through a surprise-after-surprise trip through emotional ups and downs. She is explosive with her determination to be a leader of a pack that doesn’t really exist.

She is very funny and cute, and you could tell that the kids in the audience were fascinated by this unusual mouse.

The fascination also extended to Usatinsky and Tomich as Lily’s best friends and the first and most loyal members of her pack. Their imaginary tennis game to determine the "King of the Universe" was the enthralling for the audience, and you could hear squeals of laughter during the entire scene.

If you are a parent of a young child and want them to sit in a big theater and experience the magic of live performance, this is the perfect play. Adults will enjoy it, especially by watching the shining faces of the children in the audience. And the frantic and colorful action on a stage keeps the kids paying attention.

It was surprising that so many young children could behave so well during the 90-minute show. While you might expect cries of boredom or discomfort, the opening night audience was remarkable in its attention.

Much of that credit must go to Kearns, a veteran actor and educator, who has an enviable sense of comedic timing. She keeps things moving along so the children don’t have time to squirm in their seats, yet she keeps the story plain enough for little minds to grasp.

Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse" runs through June 12 and information on showtimes and tickets is available here.

Production Credits: Director, Marcella Kearns; Choreographer, Jennifer Adams; Scenic Designer, Joe Klug; Lighting Designer, Jesse Klug; Costume designer, Debra Krajec; Sound Designer, Matt Whitmore; Stage Manager, Kimberly Carolus; Assistant Stage Manager, Julia Xiong.