Need to get out of Dodge? Bring the family and take a trip to Narnia.
Four Seasons Musical Theatre is putting on its rendition of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe this weekend.
Metchosin’s seven-year-old Lily Cave has landed one of the leading roles in the play, the character of Lucy.
Terry Rowsell, the show’s director and company’s president explained that normally an 11 year old would be cast to play Lucy, as most younger kids couldn’t pull off the demanding role.
“The audience will be blown away,” Rowsell said.
Precocious Cave is a triple threat in this roll as an actor, singer and dancer. “This is pretty exciting for me,” she said.
As for remembering her lines, Cave has a special technique — practising with her toys.
“I have miniature dolls and a doll house and I practise that way,” Cave said.
A young veteran of the stage, Cave has been in several performance with Four Seasons.
“She has played little supporting roles,” Rowsell said.
In the story, Lucy and her sibling are sent to live with their uncle during the Second World War due to a bomb scare.
At the uncle’s house Lucy discovers a magic wardrobe that takes her and her siblings to the land of Narnia.
Aside from being entertaining, the play delivers valuable life lessons, Rowsell said.
“It teaches the importance of courage and sticking together.”
For Cave she said one of the lessons in the play that she likes is, “It teaches you to be nicer to your brothers and sisters.”
The theatre company purchased the rights to the Broadway script for $5,000, money worth spending, Rowsell said.
He has added a few adaptations of his own to the production.
“In the C.S. Lewis book there are illustrations where you can see faces on the trees. Also (in the story) the beavers raise the issue that some of the trees may be spies,” Rowsell said.
To illustrate this Rowsell has created a living set with actors playing trees.
“The tress dance and exchange their branches (to symbolize the changing of the seasons),” Rowsell said.
With a living set and vast array of characters, this cast consists of 32 people. On average a Four Season’s cast is usually around 15 people.
A professional ballerina has been cast to play the character of the white stage, a deer who dances throughout the play.
“This is not a kid show or an adult show, but a family show,” Rowsell said.
All shows are at Isabelle Reader Theatre, 1026 Goldstream Ave., in Spencer middle school.
Shows are Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at www.fourseasonsmusicaltheatre.com.
reporter@goldstreamgazette.com