The Valdosta Daily Times — VALDOSTA — For those trying to forget their troubles for a while, The Little Actors Theatre of Valdosta offers a respite from life’s worries.
Their performance of the classic fairy tale “Rumpelstiltskin,” produced in cooperation with Missoula Children’s Theatre, will remind audience members that smiles cost nothing. The play centers around a boasting contest held as part of a village festival. During the contest, Clara, under the influence of Rumpelstiltskin, boasts that she can spin straw into gold, and that’s where the trouble begins.
“The point of the play is that you shouldn’t boast about what you can do because when you boast things can go all wrong,” said Caitlyn Chastain, who plays Clara. “You should be proud of what you do, but be humble about it.”
This is the fifth year Little Actors Theatre of Valdosta has partnered with Missoula Children’s Theatre to help aspiring young actors develop their talents, said Diane Tovar, Little Actors Theatre president.
Missoula Children’s Theatre is a professional touring theater company co-founded by Jim Caron and Don Collins in 1970. Both men are still actively involved in the organization.
“Rumpelstiltskin” was adapted for children’s theatre by Don Kukla, with music and lyrics by Kukla and Michael McGill. The play was altered slightly from the original Brothers Grimm version to make it more suitable for children. The part about Clara promising to give Rumpelstiltskin her firstborn child in exchange for him spinning straw into gold has been changed. In the revised version, Clara says “no way” to Rumpelstiltskin’s request for her firstborn child and instead promises to give him her honey bee farm, said Rachel Penny, one of Missoula Children’s Theatre’s directors.
Missoula Children’s Theatre is based in Missoula, Mont., and includes 47 pairs of traveling directors, Penny said. The parent organization not only trains the directors who tour the United States and 17 other countries, they adapt the plays, compose the musical numbers, and design and make the sets and costumes used in the joint productions, she said.
The actors rehearsed Tuesday through Friday and will perform the show at 3 p.m. and at 7 p.m. today at the Valdosta High School Performing Arts Center. The piano accompanist is 16-year-old Ethan Parker. Caity Johnson is the other visiting director along with Penny. Johnson performs the part of the minstrel in the play. Children performing in Rumpelstiltskin come from Brunswick, Hahira, Nashville, Lake Park, Tifton, and Valdosta, Tovar said.
Part of the plot of Rumpelstiltskin revolves around a misunderstanding based on an ancient sign in which some of the letters mistakenly got moved. The sign says that gnomes must be chearless and truthful, whereas it’s supposed to say they should be fearless and truthful. It’s “cause for much celebration indeed,” when the grumpy gnomes learn they are supposed to be fearless, not chearless. “I love a sappy ending,” proclaims King Whats at.
The play contains quite a few musical numbers, including the Rumpelstiltskin Song, Busy Busy Bees featuring a troop of five buzzing bumble bees, Remember I’m Your Honey, What’s Your Boast, and A Gnome is Hard and Strong, among others.
Auditions for the Little Actors Theatre production of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” will start Aug. 1 at the Little Actors Studio at 601-B N. Patterson St., across from the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts.
To learn more, call Diane Tovar at (229) 292-4742.
Local News
‘Rumpelstiltskin’
Little Actors Theatre, Missoula Children’s Theatre to perform “Rumpelstiltskin” today
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