At noon every Tuesday and Thursday, the NW’s Theater Department presents the children’s show “Tales of the Kingdom.” There will be an additional two performances over homecoming weekend: Friday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 25 at 4 p.m. Director Jeff Barker and actor Brianne Hassman comment on the show.
Why should people come to this?
Jeff: “To find out why, all these years, NW theater students shout, ‘To the King!’ backstage before every show.”
Brianne: “Children’s theater is unlike anything else you see onstage. It’s high-energy, interactive and simply fun. The story of this show is challenging and encouraging. I think you’ll laugh and cry and leave inspired to love others in the name of the King.”
Why should college students come when it is meant for children?
Jeff: “The best children’s stories are meaningful on many levels. These tales this year are in the allegorical vein of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien.”
Brianne: “The Bible tells us to have faith like a child. Sometimes we need to see things through the eyes of children to remember what life is really about. Come to the show and remember what it’s like to see the world through the imagination of a child.”
Why is this show important to you?
Jeff: “We read these stories to our own children because Karen and I were so moved by them. We’ve wanted to share them onstage for years, and last year, some of our students finally began experimenting with a way to stage the stories. This show is the fruit of their initiative.”
Brianne: “I was first introduced to the Tales of the Kingdom my freshman year on DME tour, and the stories touched my heart. Through these stories, God revealed to me another picture of himself and more of what it means to live in his kingdom. I believe in the power of story, and I want as many people as possible to experience the King like I have.”
What have been some challenges throughout the rehearsal process?
Brianne: “Most of the cast has not worked together before, and for some, this is their first time acting in a main-stage show. It took us a while to build an ensemble that could read each other well onstage. But now, we feed off each other and have become pretty close. We have a lot fun on and off stage.”
What is the importance of children’s theater?
Jeff: “For thousands of area kids, this will be their first play, and they’ll remember it always. It’s a little way we can help build a lifetime love for live performance. That’s our gift to our town and region.”
Brianne: “Children have huge imaginations. Story is what they do best. Children’s theater is just one way to encourage that imagination.”
