The cast and crew of Bashaw Community Theatre’s production of The Big One-Oh! JR. have been working hard to get ready for opening night on Oct. 13.
The production runs at the Bashaw United Church from Oct. 13 to 15 and in Stettler from Oct. 27 to 29.
The cast of 26 ranges from seven to 16 years old.
From auditions to rehearsing, altogether the young performers will have spent about three-and-half months preparing for the production, said Lori Miller, one of the directors.
The cast rehearses twice a week for a couple of hours and for four hours each Sunday afternoon.
“They go a million miles from where they start,” said Miller, adding it’s a joy to watch.
When they first begin, as with any production, they are mostly reading words on a page, she said.
“As it moves along they create these characters … they really belong to them. They don’t look like they’re acting, they looking like they are ‘being’ … I love that,” said Miller.
“It is the greatest gift to watch that journey.”
Miller added you’re never too old or too young to “create something magical.”
The story is beautiful, funny and uplifting and has many twists and turns, said Miller.
The production is a Broadway Junior adaptation of a musical and children’s book.
The main character, Charley Maplewood, doesn’t have friends so for this 10th birthday he decides to throw a party for himself and his imaginary monster pals, but everything doesn’t go as planned.
The Bashaw production is directed by Miller and Kelly Wilson with musical direction by Rhonda Sylvester.
Miller said while past productions that were well-known, such as Moana, sold out quickly, The Big One-Oh! is brand new and lots of tickets will be available at the door.
In the meantime, tickets can be purchased online at www.bashawtheatre.com, or at the Bashaw Community Resource Centre, or Wells Furniture in Stettler.
“We would really love people to come out and see these kids create,” sad Miller.
“It’s really worth seeing.”
The curtains go up at 7 p.m. on Oct. 13 and 14, and at 2 p.m. on Oct. 15, at the Bashaw United Church.