VALDOSTA — The moral behind Little Actors Theatre’s “Stone Soup” is simple: Girls can do anything boys can do.
Of course, that’s a lesson which Little Actors Theatre has known for quite some time.
With more girls than boys typically auditioning, LAT has learned that it must often cast girls in boys’ roles.
Even in this show, which is supposed to have two girl characters pretending to be male knights, director Diane Tovar had to cast females in roles that were written for males.
“Stone Soup’s” generals, for instance, are traditionally male roles, but girls play three of the show’s four generals.
This is an interesting twist, given theatre’s history.
In Shakespeare’s time, women did not take the stage. Men played all of the roles, male and female. An audience in Shakespeare’s day would have watched men portray both Romeo and Juliet. As for Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth, well, that was no lady.
At times, Shakespearean comedies revolved around a female character pretending to be a male, meaning that a man played a woman pretending to be a man.
Confusing? Perhaps. But Shakespeare had to work with the performers available. Same with LAT.
Little Actors Theatre does have young men participating in its shows, but many plays often have more male characters than female characters.
Diane Tovar has grown accustomed to making these adjustments. She has directed roughly a dozen or so productions since assuming the LAT director’s position in 2006.
With “Stone Soup,” she manages one of the larger LAT casts. Following auditions, Tovar had cast 41 youngsters. That number dropped to 36 in the past several weeks of rehearsals.
“Stone Soup” is an adaptation of the old French tale of a community subtly coerced into helping a hungry group of fellow human beings. This stage adaptation is by Karen Boettcher-Tate and promises a few twists to the old story.
“Stone Soup” includes girls and boys, ages 6-15 years old.
No matter what gender is playing what role, though, LAT maintains its long-time credo: Plays for children by children.
THE CAST: Lauren Lewis, Abby Cozart, Bobbie Hargis, Zydarian Dasher, Catherine Allbritton, Paxton Joiner, Candler Glisson, Michael Arnett, Kaitlyn Olbricht, Savannah Bell, Alden Walker, Kaitlyn Koebble, Brianna Cuellar, Raasheed Godwin, Camden Joiner, Chelsea Ramirez, Brandon North, Ragan Bailey, Rebekah James, Danielle Spivey, Joely Peterman, Abigail Walker, Laura Stanaland, Michael Wardle, Bree Sayre, Emily Criss, Arianna DeBie, Madison Croft, India Herrig, Molly Schweitzer, Julia Criss, Maya Franco, Alexandra Sayre, Alijah Patterson.
DIRECTION, PRODUCTION: Diane Tovar, director; Angelia Bell, assistant director, stage manager; Nikki Terrell, Joe Terrell, Lois Allbritton, set design, construction; Diane Tovar, Manuel Tovar, costumes, props; Pam Schweitzer, flower girl headbands and baskets; Jeff Criss, Tony Cuellar, Brittany Herrig, and Mary Wardle, medals; Lois Allbritton, cooking kettle, bowls and spoons; Ben Talor, Nikki Terrell and Joe Terrell, tech; Alison Peterman, ticket chairman.
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The flower girls dance around Camden Joiner as King Fleawig and Chelsea Ramirez as Queen Fleawig in Little Actors Theatre’s ‘Stone Soup,’ playing this weekend.
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Little Actors Theatre’s ‘Stone Soup’ plays this weekend at Valdosta High School Performing Arts Center.
Discussion
Stone Soup
In theatre, kids learn turnabout is fair play
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Stone Soup
Little Actors Theatre’s ‘Stone Soup’
• When: Show plays 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday.
• Where: Valdosta High School Performing Arts Center, off North Forrest Street.
• Tickets: $5, advance; $6, at the door. Advance tickets may be purchased 5-7 p.m. today, VHS Performing Arts Center. -
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