So far, Bellarine Theatre Co. has relied on actors and actresses of high school age and older to perform shows. Now halfway through its fifth season, the cast is about to change. Bellarine will offer its first youth-only production with “Into the Woods Jr.,” which features 23 local cast members in fifth through ninth grades.
“These young performers are proof that age is simply a number when it comes to talent and hard work,” a press release from Bellarine states.
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| Photo via Facebook Those performing in the show include adolescents in fifth through ninth grades. |
A mutual effort by Steven Sondheim and James Lapine, “Into the Woods” intertwines the fairytales of “The Brothers Grimm.” The production features the storylines of Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood and the Witch in this “creative and clever re-imagining.”
The play, to be held at the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences in Loveladies, will transform the venue into the dark, scary woods, with the setting acting as the major antagonist of the story. The show will take place Thursday, May 7, through Saturday, May 9, at 7 p.m. A matinee performance will also be held on May 9, at 4 p.m.
“While many junior versions of shows simplify difficult vocals, ‘Into the Woods, Jr.’ maintains the challenging Steven Sondheim score,” the release states. “Instead, the junior version slightly compacts the running time of the show, a lengthy two hours for the recent Hollywood movie production, to an hour and fifteen minutes. Much of this is done by tweaking the script to eliminate much of Act 2 of the full version while still keeping the most popular numbers and staying true to the character of the original which made ‘Into the Woods’ a massive Broadway success and recent blockbuster.”
On Wednesday, May 6, at 7 p.m., Bellarine will offer a free preview performance tailored for an audience of families, friends and children or adults who have been diagnosed with special needs, autism spectrum disorder and/or other sensitivity issues. The show will be performed in a friendly, supportive environment. Slight adjustments to the production include reduction of any jarring sounds or lights focused into the audience.
Building on the success of last year’s performance of “Dorothy Meets Alice,” this is the second year that Bellarine is offering a special needs-friendly performance.
The cast of the show has prepared for the experience by acclimating themselves to noise and other challenges to ensure they provide a high-quality performance for families that are often unable to attend theater.
After volunteering at last year’s special needs performance, Alex Pallen, 14, is performing again, this time as Cinderella’s prince.
“I really enjoyed seeing the smiles on the faces of the kids when they saw a character they loved,” he said. “I am excited to meet and take pictures with the kids after performing in the show this year. I am very glad we get to perform for these families because they don’t normally get to do things like this.”
Bellarine will also be partnering with Piece of the Puzzle at Southern Regional School District throughout the run of the production. Through collaboration with local school districts and community outreach in New Jersey, Piece of the Puzzle is dedicated to providing meaningful, structured learning experiences and employment opportunities to adolescents and adults with ASD. During performances, ice cream made by students with autism will be on sale. All profits will go to the Sunshine Foundation, which raises money to help make dreams come true for physically and mentally ill children.
Anyone interested in volunteering, sponsoring, or attending the special performance may RSVP by emailing jessica@bellarinetheatre.com, or calling 609-661-2083. To purchase tickets for any of the other shows, visit bellarinetheatre.com.
— Kelley Anne Essinger
This article was published in The SandPaper.
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