by Scott Hayes
The summer reading program at the St. Albert Public Library is having a banner year and the organizers are setting up a wrap party along with a little voodoo.
Voodoo? Who do? You do, says adult programming librarian Michelle Steinhusen, reciting some lyrics from Labyrinth, the 1986 Jim Henson movie starring Jennifer Connelly, David Bowie and Toby, the aforementioned babe with the power. The movie will be the matinee on the marquee for the grand celebration.
"I’m very excited about Labyrinth!” she enthused. “It’s a good movie. It’s just fun! ”
The movie sticks with the reading game’s fantasy theme. The story follows Sarah (Connelly) who is charged with the care of Toby, a small child kidnapped by Jareth the Goblin King (Bowie) who absconds to a strange world complete with a labyrinthine prison. Sarah must be clever enough to get through the maze and all of its traps and pitfalls in order to save Toby and herself too.
Joining her for the ride are all manner of puppets and monsters from Jim Henson’s fabulous factory.
As if that all isn’t fun enough, there are lots of songs and Steinhusen promises that audience participation is a necessity.
“We’re going to make everybody sing. I know all the words. I’ve seen this movie 10 times! I remember when I went to see it with my sister. We turned around and paid and walked right back in to watch it again.”
She noted that it also holds up over time and that her own daughters love the film as much as she does. Almost.
As the summer reading program comes down to the wire, Steinhusen noted that participation continues to grow. There are so many kids in the children’s program that she didn’t have an exact tally because staff members have been inundated with little readers since things got going at the end of June. They expected 2,000 registrants.
“Every year, they get more and more players, but the teen game has just been blown out of the water this year,” she stated, adding that Alison Watson, the teen services co-ordinator, turned the game into a kind of choose your own adventure fantasy program akin to Dungeons and Dragons, complete with characters and a game board.
“There’s been a phenomenal response.”
The adult game is going well, thanks in small part to the librarians themselves who participate themselves in a bit of friendly competition.
“I am desperately trying to finish my travel and adventure this week so I can put in one last entry because there’s only one week left.”
After the program ends next Tuesday, everyone can prepare for the party by doing some vocal exercises and perusing through their own personal costume trunks.
Along with the singing, audience members are encouraged to dress up either as characters from the film or as any fantasy creature of their choosing.
“I don’t know how many people would be brave enough to dress up as David Bowie.”
The event is free and takes place on Sunday, Aug. 23 starting at 2 p.m. There will be free popcorn and a prize draw.
