Kokandy revival of ‘Amélie’ a lovely tribute to kindness, human connection and simple pleasures

Effervescent Aurora Penepacker, center, plays the titular sprite in Kokandy Productions’ Chicago-area premiere of the whimsical tuner “Amélie.” Courtesy of Michael Brosilow

“Amelie” — 3.5 stars

“Amélie,” the effervescent musical based on the 2001 French romantic comedy of the same name, is the theatrical equivalent of a sorbet: a tasty complement to a summer day.

Kokandy Productions serves up a delicious Chicago-area premiere made sweeter by the beguiling Aurora Penepacker as the titular Amélie, a spritelike, young waitress turned anonymous do-gooder.

Director/choreographer Derek Van Barham’s revival, smartly staged in the cozy albeit sightline-challenged basement of Chicago’s Chopin Theatre, boasts an exceptional cast of singer/actor/instrumentalists who accompany themselves while pl