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By Irina Kirnos
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May. 22, 2009 |
A student-run school theater company debuts this evening at 6:30.
The Move-About Theatre Company will perform Alice in Wonderland for free beginning at the Shakespeare Garden and continuing on to Music Concourse, located between the De Young Museum and the new California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.
Sophomore and reporter Taylor Edelhart is the program’s founder and director of the troupe, as well as one of its actors. The distinguishing quality of this company is that the audience physically follows the performance as it progresses through the park. “We are special because we perform movable theater which is basically theater that moves around,” Edelhart said. “The show moves from scene to scene and the audience follows.”
Actors expressed anticipation about premiering the production, which is also the company’s first show. “This is a very exciting company to work with because it’s so innovative,” sophomore actor Jack Hamm said. “The idea of having the audience move along with the play’s action works really well for this production, since it makes the audience feel like they’re being swept up into the story of the play.”
Sophomore Danielle Goldberg plans to see the show. “I think it’s an interesting idea and I’m wondering how they will execute it,” she said.
Edelhart held auditions for the roles in Alice in Wonderland in February at the Music Concourse. Performing in a major outdoor area has its disadvantages, according to Edelhart. “Since we’re in the park we have to deal with the weather and other random events,” she said.
Choir teacher Michael Lauricella pointed out that teen productions are uncommon. “Since the future of live theater is being threatened by YouTube and other forms of media, it is refreshing and rare to see young people fighting to keep it alive,” he said.
The actors were unaccustomed to having a teenage director but anticipate that everything will go smoothly. “It is really weird to have a director younger than me, but she is doing a good job considering the circumstances because we have to worry about other events and the weather,” actress Juliette Jones said. “The show is going to be really good.”
The show will benefit from Edelhart’s theater experience. “The show is going to be amazing because it is being directed by someone who really knows how to direct because she is a fine actor herself,” Lauricella said.
Lauricella is supplying several costume pieces and props. The company also received a grant of $1,550 from Youth Funding Youth Ideas which is being used to pay for set pieces and rent a cargo van for props and costumes.
After Alice in Wonderland, the company is considering performing Voltaire’s Candide this winter. “Hopefully we’ll get a lot more people auditioning for the next show after they see this production because a wider pool of talent means a stronger show,” Edelhart said.
Come see the Move-About Theatre Company perform today after school at 6:30 p.m. or tomorrow at 5 p.m. It will also be showing on May 29, 30 and 31 at 6:30 p.m.
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