More Power to Your Knitting, Nell!

Laureen F. Guenther
Times Contributor

 

More Power to Your Knitting, Nell!, a one-woman musical play set during World War II. It will be performed by Naomi Esau, Nov. 14-16, on Rosebud’s BMO Studio Stage. The show is Esau’s Final Project, culminating her work of four years at Rosebud School of the Arts.
“More Power is a story about a girl named Sadie, and she’s always wanted to be a radio star, a singer,” Esau says. “She doesn’t want to be a factory worker or a teacher or a switchboard operator. She wants to be famous.”
Sadie gets a job as Knitting Nell, radio performer, encouraging women to knit for their troops, “but the big problem is that Sadie hates knitting.”
“I just fell in love with the character,” Esau said, about the first time she saw playwright Melanie Gall perform the show. “(Nell) is ambitious, and she knows what she wants and she goes after it.”
Esau is confident her audience will love Nell too.
“They’ll be touched by Nell, her energy and her boldness,” Esau said. “They’ll also love that she learns so much and she’s willing to do what she knows she needs, for herself, and for the people she loves.”
The songs, all written during World Wars I and II, range from jazz to quick march to classical to ballad, and share one topic: knitting.
“Some of (the songs) are hilarious … some of them are really heartfelt. There’s one song that’s all about women gossiping in their knitting club,” said Esau. “The idea that something as simple as knitting, that’s still done today, was a key factor in (the war), makes the story timeless. Women (were) knitting for the war effort, to send to their loved ones overseas, knitting to send to people they didn’t know … it’s women’s love, putting (love) into things like knitting.”
She encourages knitters and crocheters to bring their yarn and needles or hooks, and to knit or crochet during the performance. They’ll be Nell’s Knitting Club, she says, and will get a ticket discount.
Esau, who acted in Rosebud’s Toad of Toad Hall, Quilters, and The Great Divorce, and stage-managed and assistant-directed numerous other productions, has already earned a scholarship for her work on More Power To Your Knitting, Nell! The Erickson Administrative Scholarship is awarded to a student with a solid plan to execute an artistic project.
After Nell’s shows end, Esau will finish classes, prepare her portfolio, and stage-manage a classmate’s final project, and be involved in several more shows, before graduating next fall. Then she plans to audition as actor and stage manager in her hometown of Saskatoon and throughout Alberta.
“I’ll always continue singing,” she said.
Esau presents More Power to Your Knitting, Nell! on Rosebud’s BMO Studio Stage, Friday, Nov. 14 at 5 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 15 at 5 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Esau invites guests to see the mainstage show, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, before or after Nell. Tickets are $12 ($10 for those who bring their knitting or crocheting). To reserve, call 403-820-4438 or e-mail (pushmepullyouproductions@gmail.com).