ENTERTAINING `TIP-TOES' TRIPS ALONG LIGHTLY.

Byline: Evan Henerson Theater Critic

Where's the Man in Chair when we so desperately need him?

I refer to the unnamed narrator/hero of the Broadway musical ``The Drowsy Chaperone,'' a man so besotted by a 1920s- era musical comedy that he played his scratchy phonograph record, bringing the show to life in his apartment to simultaneously revere and mock it as circumstances dictate.

Oh, the observations dear M.I.C. might have unleashed upon the Gershwins' ``Tip-Toes,'' a 1925 hit unearthed in a new production and playing at Sherman Oaks' Whitefire Theatre. In fact, co-producer Brian O'Halloran and the brain trust of By George Productions and The Artist's Legacy Project must have had the success of ``Chaperone'' at least somewhat in mind when they elected to send ``Tip-Toes'' back out among the living.

Love a Gershwin tune?

``Tip-Toes'' -- book by Guy Bolton and Fred Thompson, music by George and Ira Gershwin -- is a monumentally silly little show. Its characters are stock, its scenario dated and ludicrous. Our title heroine is trying to snag a millionaire but ends up developing a conscience ... and getting her fella after all. She calls her guy ``little boy.'' He calls her, uh huh, ``little girl.''

More with less

Give director/choreographer William Mead his props, though. Making rather inventive use of a bare Whitefire stage, a two-person orchestra and a cast that gamely Charle-

stons its keisters off, Mead's production is frequently diverting, occasionally delightful. And the number ``Sweet and Low-Down'' remains a winner.

The vaudevillian trio known as the Three Kayes ventures down to Florida in the midst of a real-estate boom. They've been engaged to perform at a party in honor of Steve Burton (played by Matthew Reis), brother to wealthy Sylvia Metcalf (Sandra Purpuro). When it comes to light that Sylvia's husband, Rollo (Matt Kubicek), once dallied with Tip-Toes Kaye (Kelly Stables), Rollo tries to pay off the Kayes and make them go away.

Instead, hucksters Al Kaye (Kyle Nudo) and his brother Hen (Richard Horvitz) pocket the money, buy their niece Tip-Toes some decent clothes and try to pass her off as an heiress. Naturally she bumps into Steve, and the sparks fly.

The ultra-petite Stables (yeah, you buy that she could stow away in a steamer trunk), is forced to carry quite a bit of the show's charm on those minuscule shoulders; which, gamely, she does. No mean feat when you have to sing lyrics like ``Goody, goody good night!''

Nudo and Horvitz don't fare as well, saddled as they are by a bunch of shticky one-liners. It's rather remarkable that percussionist John Harvey -- who partners with pianist O'Halloran -- doesn't help the Kayes out with regular rim shots.

The Whitefire is anything but a sizable space, but Mead has his dancers sashaying and dipping each other non-stop. This Gershwin nugget neither requires -- nor deserves -- much thought, but as a period- specific bit of stage history, it's harmless.

Evan Henerson, [phone]

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TIP-TOES - Three stars

Where: Whitefire Theatre, 13500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks.

When: 8 p.m. Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sunday; through Feb. 18.

Tickets: $30. [phone].

www.tix.com

In a nutshell: Not the brainiest event in town, but a fair quotient of amusement.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Richard Horvitz, left, Kelly Stables and Kyle Nudo star in ``Tip-Toes,'' the newly remounted George and Ira Gershwin musical now playing at the Whitefire Theatre.