Christmas show displays Rosebud students’ talent

Times contributor 

 

Rosebud School of the Arts students will perform The Other Side of the Pole, a Christmas play for all ages, opening Nov. 29 on Rosebud’s Studio Stage.

Director Deanne Bertsch says the play is about elves who work for Santa at the North Pole. 

“They’ve hired a new elf,” Bertsch says. “But this elf (Mylar) doesn’t understand what the big deal of Christmas is, and why everything has to get done for this specific date.”

“The other elves are horrified that this elf doesn’t care about Christmas,” Bertsch says. “So they launch into this story about a little town called Split Hoof, and Santa’s son who has left the North Pole because he’s so angry with Santa, and so hurt that Santa has never spent a Christmas Eve with him, because he’s so busy caring about everyone else.”

Santa’s son, mayor of Split Hoof, has banished Christmas from his town, but his daughter Sandy and her friend Willie fight to bring it back. “And so they end,” Bertsch says, “with reconciliation and forgiveness and a lovely story.”

The cast is comprised of Rosebud’s second year class, who are sharing key parts, Bertsch says, “so each student could have a good chewy role.”

Sandy is played by Meghan Hanet. Geordie Cowan and Stuart Giesbrecht play Willie. Kelti Graham and Jocelyn Jay are Willie’s mother. Caleb Gordon plays Santa, and Kevin Cambridge is mayor. Kaitlyn Sloboda is the pianist, and also plays Mrs. Witherspoon. And Sarah Robertson has enhanced her role as Mylar with original raps and hip-hop routines. Each cast member is also responsible for one technical aspect – props, costumes, sets or lights.

“They’re a pretty dynamic group. They offer up so much,” Bertsch says. “They’re very imaginative and bright and funny… when we get the show on its feet it’s going to be quite the sparkly affair.”

Bertsch is excited that Risa Bissenden, third-year student, designed the set. “She’s painted it so it looks like a giant swirl and candy cane, which goes on the barber pole itself, that is also the North Pole,” Bertsch says.

Jenny Daigle, another third-year student, designed the lights. The light designer can “paint all over the stage,” Daigle says. “How much all of that color that you see on the stage, all of that mood, all of that feeling is coming through lighting.”

“This show is about … why Christmas is so important, and about all of the magic and the love and the warmth of Christmas,” Daigle says, “So I’ve tried to reflect that in my lighting.”

“Whenever Christmas gets mentioned, or whenever you feel a little bit of warmth or fun and a Christmas spirit comes into the story,” a bulb on top of the pole lights up, she says. “This just kind of adds to the mood of it and it’s really magical.”

The Other Side of the Pole runs Nov. 29 to Dec. 21, most Thursdays to Saturdays, 4:30 p.m. Get tickets at 1-800-267-7553 or www.rosebudschoolofthearts.com. $15 in advance. $20 at the door. $10 for children.