A fan of Disney music, Samuel Davidson, 12, pulses with energy and finally gets a chance to play one his favourite storybook characters – Simba from The Lion King.
The St. Albert resident is cast as the male lead in Imogene – The Storybook Queen, a revue type show that ties together some of the most beloved Disney stories ever created.
Elite Performing Arts version follows two orphans, Henry Galloway (Samuel Davidson) and Anabel Hawthorne (Naveena Naidoo), who lead stifling lives in an orphanage run by nuns. One night, the enchanting Queen Imogene visits them and transports them to the storybook forest.
They meet a couple of key travelers, Madri and Alvar, two forest gnomes married 153 years who hold the means to unlocking books of adventure.
And on the odyssey of discovery and imagination, Henry and Anabel encounter forest nymphs and the intriguing Princess Eloise.
Threaded throughout the narrative are 20 songs from five popular stories: Aladdin, Mary Poppins, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid and The Lion King.
More than just song, choreographers Alyssa Bilodeau and Arman Estillore have choreographed some incredible dance numbers incorporating ballet, tap, jazz, modern and musical theatre styles.
From Africa’s savannahs to London’s cobblestone streets to Agrabah’s deserts, Imogene – The Storybook Queen runs for one night only at the Myer Horowitz Theatre on Tuesday, May 17.
“I really like musical theatre. I like the dancing, singing and acting. It’s really fun to do and I like working with people,” said Davidson.
Although Davidson was cast in Elite Performing Arts inaugural 2015 show Curtain Up, he is still a relative newcomer to the stage. But that doesn’t mean the Grade 6 Victoria School of Performing and Visual Arts student hasn’t already impressed some of Edmonton’s leading stage impresarios.
“What I’ve seen of him is outstanding,” said award-winning Canadian producer/director Tony James and founder of Elite Performing Arts.
“He is just 12 years old and can take you from emotion to execution in just a few minutes. He is something special. Samuel is just fantastic. He has a gift and in this industry when you have a gift, you have to explore it.”
In essence, Davidson is smart, accomplished, a tad quirky but still a kid with feet firmly planted on the ground. In his role as the young Simba, he sings Hakuna Matata with Timon and Pumbaa while chowing down on grubs.
“Our grubs are gummy worms. It’s cool that I’ve got to eat them,” he laughed.
He’s also added a new skill to his resume – dancing a Viennese waltz for Cinderella’s ballroom scene. For The Mermaid, he is showcased as a dancing fish in Under the Sea and in Aladdin he takes a spin at purchasing cloth at the souk.
Some actors get flustered doing quick costume changes. Not Davidson.
“It’s pretty easy. When you change costumes, you go into different characters. It just comes naturally.”
In this show-stopping spectacle, the production team is going into overdrive to recreate the essence of each musical.
“The lionesses headdresses are all hand moulded, designed and painted based off of actual photos and for The Little Mermaid, we’ve created lily pads and mermaids,” said James.
One of his favourite scenes is when Cinderella (Olivia Rose Leaf) in her frothy ball gown does a pas de deux with Prince Charming (Connor Bewick) under a moonlit sky.
“It’s breathtaking, the way it’s been choreographed.”
As the producer, James sees something for every age in Imogene – The Storybook Queen.
“It’s nostalgic for older people and younger people get to see some of their favourite Disney characters. We’ve assembled a unique and powerful ensemble and this will be a very special show.”
Preview
Imogene – The Storybook Queen<br />Elite Performing Arts<br />Tuesday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m.<br />Myer Horowitz Theatre<br />University of Alberta<br />Tickets: $24 to $38. Military, first responders and Fort McMurray evacuees $25. Visit ticketfly.com.
