Jack and the Beanstalk... Terrific TYA!

I had the pleasure of taking in Alberta Opera's Jack and The Beanstalk last week at the Backstage Theatre. They only had a very short public performance run before they headed off on their 200+ performance school tour. I was so glad I managed to catch this show as I have been disappointed to some degree with the TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences) that I have been able to catch over the last few years. This one, directed by Lana Michelle Hughes with music direction by Erik Mortimer, was delightful. The perfect show to make younger audiences appreciate and enjoy theatre. A clear story with captivating characters (played with skill, talent and enthusiasm by Ethan Snowden, Marc Rico Ludwig and Rachel Ironmonger), humour and well-written and well-performed music, and a subtle message that was neither preachy nor throw-away. It also clocked in under an hour, which from my experience with my own children is simply perfect. Kudos to the cast and creative team for an enjoyable introductory theatre experience. The children in the audience I attended were captivated and thoroughly entertained!

There are no more public performances, however, if your child is in K-6 in the Edmonton area chances are they will be seeing the show sometime during the school year!

A Couple of Christmas Theatrical Experiences!

Over the holidays, I managed to take in a few shows.  Early in the season I saw A Christmas Carol and She Loves Me, which I talked about in earlier posts. To keep the momentum going, I also took in The Best Little Newfoundland Christmas Pageant Ever  presented by Whizgiggling Productions at the Backstage Theatre and then Jack and the Beanstock (a pantomime) at Capitol Theatre in Fort Edmonton Park. Both were a lot of fun.  We took the boys to The Best Little Newfoundland Pageant Ever and I was so glad we did.  They giggled and laughed and had a great time watching this show. It's a wonderful story about a Christmas Pageant taken over by a family of troublemakers.  As the pageant comes together those problem children both learn and teach in a way that is simply hilarious. It's also full of terrific live music. This was the 6th year for this show and I hope that it will be back again next year.  Definitely worth a return visit. I wished we had taken the boys to the panto Jack and the Beanstalk as well, but I had thought it was aimed at younger kids. I should have known better. In the tradition of the British Panto there was plenty for all levels of comprehension. The innuendo-laced parts of the script went well over the heads of the younger audience members and the older members had a great time laughing. The kids were kept well entertained by the general silliness and Star Wars references. Another great choice and since this was the Park's third Panto, I hope to catch next season's, as well. But next year I will take the boys, too!