"Charlotte's Web," the children's book by E.B. White about a terrific pig named Wilbur and the spider that saves him from being turned into sausages, enjoys a gentle production this week at Windward Community College's Paliku Theatre.

KITV weather anchor Ben Gutierrez directs the cast of WCC students in a play that focuses on friendship, growing up and living with change and uncertainty. Performances are articulate and clear, the pace is measured and the overall tone is comforting.

That's a fair achievement, given that Wilbur's fate hangs precariously on a thread of spider's silk.

When Fern (Debbie Mench), begs her farmer father to spare the runt in a new litter of pigs, Wilbur (Isaac Waters) is kept on probation only until he's fat enough for the butcher to turn him into ham. But a friendly spider named Charlotte (Jessie Mowry) makes him a celebrity by spelling out words in the large web over his pen.

"Some Pig"

"Terrific"

"Radiant"

"Humble"

Humble? Well, a message play especially can't take itself too seriously.

Led by Waters' unspoiled, winsome performance in the central role, and Mowry's steady portrayal of an aging Charlotte, the cast delivers the message without hammering on it.

Charlotte admits to drinking blood from flies and bugs, but with an environmentally balanced motive. Wilbur teeters between freedom and the frying pan, but the farmers aren't evil — only hungry. Even the self-centered rat Templeton (Jonathan Oshiro) curbs his bad temper and has the decency to suck on his rotten egg offstage.

Ernest Stevens keeps the story moving with narration and the large Paliku stage offers plenty of elbow room when the action needs to spread out. It seems quite natural that all the animals speak and that Fern understands what they say.

Although they dress in street clothes, the actors effectively project animal characters through a collection of realistic, head-shaped hats that are best seen from the high seats at the rear of the theater.

Paliku Theatre may be the most comfortable venue on O'ahu, and it's good to see it offering a home to quality children's plays and increased performance opportunities for students at Windward Community College.