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Whitefish Theatre Company presents "The Borrowers'
January 27, 2012
Editor@montanaliving.com
In this production, 14-year-old Arrietty Clock lives under the floorboards of a house with her timid parents, Homily and Pod, until the family must flee and run for their lives afield and afloat in the great big human world. Spirited Arrietty befriends everyone, including the Boy upstairs, and discovers a world teeming with wonder. In addition to the storyline, the language of “The Borrowers” flows in beautiful verse that captures the warmth and picturesque countryside of old England. Director April Vogel has paired her favorite classical composer Claude Debussy with the production. Debussy’s “The Children’s Hour” offers a magical backdrop for this expressionistic tale.
The cast has 11 actors and puppeteers, ages 11 to 16 years, from around the Flathead Valley. They include Tiegen Tremper, Katrina Funk, Sam Benkelman, Kess Nelson, Mason DeVries, Brendan Buls, Pickle Holdhusen, Sophia Skwarchuk, Hunter Cripe, Bohdi Venery and Ryleigh Finn. Vogel describes the “Theatre For Kids By Kids” approach as one that “encourages expression and independent thought about the character each child is playing, allowing their creativity to overflow!”
Audience-goers will notice that the world looks a bit different when you’re only six inches tall, like Arrietty and the other Borrowers! The fun for Vogel and her production crew was to figure out a set that would portray both the Borrowers’ world and the human world. Vogel, Charity Flowers (set decorator & puppet/kite designer), and the crew were able to turn the Whitefish Theatre Co. stage into a beautiful, adventurous world with stunning insect puppets, giant flowers and foliage, and a giant boot that serves as a house, to help the audience imagine the thrills of being a wee little Borrower. Victorian costume creations and design were provided by Kim Aldinger.
There is a sneak preview on Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m. with $8 general admission, at the door only. “The Borrowers” opens Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. and continues Feb. 11, 17-18 at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 12 and 19 at 4 p.m., and Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults, $14 for seniors, and $8 for students, all seats reserved. The show is appropriate for all ages.
Show sponsor is Glacier Bank of Whitefish. Outreach sponsors for a presentation to 325 local schoolchildren are Rayne and Randy Beach.
For information on Whitefish Theatre Co. events or theatre education, or to purchase tickets, log on to whitefishtheatreco.org or call or visit the O’Shaughnessy Center (1 Central Avenue, Whitefish) box office at 862-5371 Monday-Friday 10-4, and one hour before performances.
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