Want to go?
WHAT: "Jungle Book Kids" WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 29
WHERE: Sandusky State Theatre, 107 Columbus Ave., Sandusky; reservations:
COST: $12/person Theater is being stripped down to its bare necessities for "Jungle Book Kids" at the Sandusky State Theater. “I have never done a show this fast,” Director Vicki Bickley said of the two weeks she has with the children before their performance on Friday, June 29. “It’s very, very intense.” The workshop is like a school day where they take time for lunch and then take another break in the afternoon. “Other than that, it’s constant movement, and the kids are exhausted at the end of the day," she said. A lot of the participants have not been exposed to musical theater other than school plays. They have to be off book in one week, which means no more script. In a school production, cast members would usually have about three months to prepare. “The kids have risen to the challenge. They get to go beyond and explore their creative side,” she said.
Many subtle nuances of theater are being taught about things like props, prop tables and organization. (Mainly, do NOT touch a prop unless it is yours — there are some area theaters that would like to instill this into their adult performers.) There are 25 students from at least four area schools between the ages of 6-10. The first week, other than learning their lines, they were creating the set, painting it and working on choreography, the thing that wears them out the most. A week before the performance, the kids will learn about lights, mics, costumes and quick changes. Kalahari donated a few of the costumes such as a detailed monkey mask and breathtaking lion’s head, but most are being sewn by hand by two seamstresses. The audience will recognize many of the characters and the songs from the traditional well-known Disney movie of the same name. “[These kids are] a teacher’s dream," Bickley said. "They’re talented, cooperative and give their all every day. They can’t wait to get on stage."
