PREVIEW
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr.
Phoenix Tales Productions
March 20 and 21 at 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Arden Theatre
5 St. Anne Street
Tickets: $15, $10 seniors at door or via email at [email protected] Ticket purchase includes $10 Famoso gift card
There’s a new children’s theatre company in St. Albert. Unlike some troupes whose mission is education, Phoenix Tales Productions simply mines the magic, enchantment and song of theatre.
The troupe’s official second production is Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr., running for four shows on March 20 and 21 at the Arden Theatre.
Phoenix Tales Productions is an offshoot of the Richard Fowler Catholic Junior High’s musical theatre program. Many of the students met during those grades 7 to 9 years between 2013 and 2016, and have since gone on to several different high schools. But they were so excited about theatre they’ve joined forces to create Phoenix Tales Productions.
While St. Albert Catholic High, Bellerose Composite High and Paul Kane High students are rivals in the sports arena, there is no competition at the Red Willow Place rehearsal hall.
Cooperation is key and everyone brings an energized attitude to rehearsals. There's a buzz of chatter as individuals brainstorm new ideas. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a director to use a megaphone as a way of cutting through the hubbub.
In 2017 Phoenix Tales' inaugural show was Legally Blonde. This year it’s Beauty and the Beast, Jr., the 1991 animated musical romantic fantasy about a young girl who falls in love with a monstrous-looking Beast.
“Disney is great because it hits this age group so well. There’s magic in Disney. They’re a well-oiled machine and know how to hit you. The music is great and everything is so seamless. And everyone can relate to the story so well,” said director Michael Paruby.
For those unfamiliar with the classic fairy tale, Belle (Jillian Callbeck) is a young woman living in a French provincial town, who fantasizes about what lies beyond the boundaries of her home.
Every good story needs an anti-hero and Beast (Mason Kidney) is a selfish young prince ensnared in the spell of an enchantress. The curse will break if Beast, trapped in the body of a monster that mirrors his inner self, can learn compassion, kindness and most importantly love.
But time is running out. If Beast is incapable of learning his lessons, then he and his household will be trapped as animals and objects for all eternity.
The 22 actors, ranging from grades 7 to 10, are supported by an almost equal number of high school students and post-secondary students operating as volunteer directors, designers and choreographers eager to turn Phoenix Tales into a successful entity.
Talk to any member of the team and it’s the same story. They enjoyed their junior high acting stint so much, they’ve returned to take on critical administrative and production roles behind the scenes.
“We’re not teachers. We create in different ways. There’s a camaraderie and freshness in this group. There’s more ownership and people are excited to be here. They’re fired up and doing everything they can including posting on social media about what we do,” Paruby said.
Last year's Legally Blonde had a rough start-up. There were production hitches and publicity was put on the back burner. This year, Phoenix Tales has lined up its ducks in a row.
“It’s going really smoothly. We have a lot of students taking it quite seriously. Our lead actress, Jillian, has incredible work ethic. She’s always engaged and the same with our Beast. It all trickles down.”
At one point Paruby picks up the megaphone to get everyone’s attention. As an aside, he says, “From our side of the table, it’s more than building theatre. It’s about creating a community and building skills.”
One of the talented volunteers working in a thankless role is costume designer Karlie Christie. She is a graduate of MacEwan University’s theatre production program and currently a second year Bachelor of Fine Arts student at the University of Alberta’s theatre design program.
Originally from Marwayne, Alberta (just outside Lloydminster), Christie fell in love with theatre visiting her St. Albert cousins – brother-sister actors Lauren and Andrew Boyd.
“I couldn’t see myself on stage, but I loved the aesthetics of things. I even imagined I’d like to be a production designer for films and festivals,” said Christie.
She met Janice Flower, artistic director of St. Albert Children’s Theatre, at MacEwan and was given the opportunity to assist designer Marissa Kochanski on several local productions.
When the opportunity to design a show popped up, Christie jumped at it – even though the budget for 22 actors was just under $1,000.
“I did it for the experience. I have a lot of sewing experience and this was a good opportunity to get management and communication skills with people outside my circle.”
Christy drew a few renderings, but mostly it came down to playing detective sniffing out cheap store-bought finds and pulls from other theatre company wardrobes.
If the costumes of Mrs. Potts, Gaston, Lumiere and Babette look familiar, they’re a pull from St. Albert Children’s Theatre's wardrobe. Instead Cogsworth, Majordomo and Chip costumes are scratch builds.
“I just wanted it to be colourful, but not in-your-face colourful. It’s like cartoons come to life.”
Spirited acting, fascinating period costumes and the sweeping music of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken makes Beauty and the Beast an inviting family draw.
“It’s vibrant. It’s fun. It’s classic. It’s Beauty and the Beast. And if music doesn’t bring you, hopefully the costumes and the kids will.”
