At center stage, a young actress belts out her lines and bursts into song before stopping mid-sentence for some advice from artistic director Amber Walker.
The bustling scene is the typical routine at a rehearsal of "Snow White and the 67 Little People: Takin’ Care of Business and Workin’ Overtime," the latest summer production by Ben Lomond’s Little People’s Repertory Theatre.
This year, with 70 kids taking part in the five-week summer program, the show leans more heavily than ever on support from the community around it.
From master carpenter Bob Perry, who has designed each set the past six years, to the families of the children and a handful of folks from SLV Volunteer Center, every last stitch will be sown and every last screw tightened with help from volunteers.
"It blows me away," said executive director Janinne Chadwick, who says the families know they will be involved when they sign children up for the production. "There are a lot of new families this year."
The costumes are still in the works, and Chadwick is looking for volunteers with sewing machines who can assemble the colorful frocks.
This year’s show is a coagulation of fairy tales, from Little Red Riding Hood to Snow White, with a few inspirations taken from the Bravo reality television show "Project Runway."
The storyline follows Snow White, played by Brianna James-Baldwin, through a magical fairy tale landscape with a contemporary spin.
Christopher Levy-Grant is the Giant from Jack and the Beanstalk, while Taylor Vencil is the Evil Queen, patterned after "Project Runway" host Heidi Klum. Jordan Peabody plays a Frog Prince with echoes of Buddy Holly.
"I really like (the show), because were doing a Bob Dylan parody, which is really fun," said Levy-Grant, a Little People’s veteran. "There’s so much variety."
Arindam Krisna Dass returns as the musical director, and Mary Lehr, Lyn Reed, Denise Gorham and Cecilia Kelly are producers.
Walker has seen this year’s group of actors blossom as they embrace their roles and the music.
"I don’t have to direct, I just get to steer," she said. "It’s really incredible."
Subscribe to this comment's feed