Small theatre, grand story

Laureen F. Guenther
Times Contributor

 

Rosebud Theatre presents the spectacular Canadian premiere of the musical, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe until Dec. 20.
With a huge cast and live musicians, beautiful colours, lighting and costumes, this show overflows the stage of Rosebud’s Opera House. The music – piano, harp, trumpet, flute, violin and voices – helps carry the story, rather than being imposed on it. And the music is memorable. Today, two days after the show, I’m still singing the closing song.
Neil Kuefler, Heather Pattengale, Cassia Schramm and Conrad Belau play Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmund, and I wonder why Morris Ertman cast these adults when there are so many Rosebud School of the Arts students and recent graduates whose youthfulness would have required less suspension of our disbelief. Nevertheless, these four do a great job. Belau (Edmund) is especially convincing, and as I’ve come to expect from him, he draws all my attention and interest whenever he appears.
David Snider as Tumnus and the Professor, Marie Russell as the housekeeper and Mrs. Beaver, and Andrew Legg as Mr. Beaver are all hilarious and endearing, and Glenda Warkentin is just right as a sharp-tongued and imperious White Witch. Michael Dobbin is a winsome, loving Aslan, although he’s surprised by his power rather than as confident as I envision him after reading the book.
The set fascinates me, and I’m especially impressed by how the wardrobe door is on a revolving table, transforming into Narnia. Lauchlin Johnston, set and lighting designer, told me how he developed it. First, he and director Morris Ertman identified the key images – wardrobe, lamppost, stone table – and talked about how they could use those images to tell the story.
They asked each other, “what if the wardrobe could revolve?”
And that idea evolved into using the stone table as the basis of all the scenes.
Johnston made a detailed scale model, which he and Ertman used to assess how well the idea would work, and then they turned it over to the carpenters and scenic artist.
The revolving stone table is manually operated by an Assistant Stage Manager below stage, in two-way communication with the stage manager.
“He has a series of handles and a brake to stop it at the right stop, and a series of markers,” Johnston explained. “Brad (Graham, stage manager) gives him cues and he revolves according to those cues.”
To me, the revolving table is simply a fascinating and clever way to transform the wardrobe into Narnia, but Johnston pointed out that it does much more – it allows the action to continue without stopping for scene changes.
“It’s an incredibly elaborate choreography that he (Ertman) was in charge of,” Johnston said, “moving all these 22 people around on stage, and also creating beautiful stage pictures all the way, and making sure that the action flows seamlessly.”
All of their creative talent and hard work have produced a beautiful show, telling a heart-warming story. If you love C.S. Lewis’ classic book, you’ll love what Rosebud has done with the story.
Tickets would make great Christmas gifts, including for children, if they can sit through the two-and-a-half hour show. Tickets are 70 per cent sold, so reserve soon. Call 1-800-267-7553 or go to www.rosebudtheatre.com to book.