The laughing wild gals of Off Center Stage are taking their unique vision to the Sun Valley Center where they have directed a cast of youngsters in "An Enchanted Episode." Kathy Ogilvy and Jana Arnold will orchestrate three family events at The Center in Ketchum, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 5, and 3 p.m. Saturday, April 14 and 28.
The play is part of the "Off the Page" multi-discipline exhibition currently up at The Center. The play itself was developed by Ogilvy and Arnold from a story by Dakota Barnes.
The Off Center Stage principals were approached by The Center last year to come on as "hired guns," Arnold said. "We were told there was going to be some exhibit the next spring involving children and illustrators."
After they'd agreed in theory to the project, The Center held a short story contest for middle schoolers in the valley. The finalists were given to Ogilvy and Arnold who read them separately and both decided on Barnes' story. The tale involves a young girl, Ophelia, who has magical powers, but who is part of a family of evil doers. She wants to use her powers to convince her family to turn around its own powers from evil to good.
"We liked it because it can be staged inventively. It has a good moral and a good message," Arnold said. "We're costuming it and Judy Stolzfus is painting the backdrop." Arnold and Ogilvy wrote two scripts from the story then put the best of them together to make the play.
"We stayed true to the plot and characters and embellished a bit. We had a lot of fun doing it," Arnold said. Children in the audience will participate by doing sound effects and helping with on-stage activities.
The cast includes Abigail Barton as the girl, Jamie Wygle, Kira Burleson and Allyssa Bal-Carrao. Ogilvy, a professional stage manager and director, and Arnold, an equity actress, are sharing directing duties. Patsy Wygle, also an equity actress, is playing the mother, and is a "co-team member," Arnold said.
"I have been overwhelmed by what these kids show up with at rehearsals. We're conducting this like it's a professional show. We're teaching structure, blocking, theater etiquette and about what going 'off-book' (memorizing lines) means. They're so eager to learn."
"An Enchanted Episode" will premiere on Thursday. At the Saturday matinees, April 14 and 28, there will be a secondary aspect to the show. After the play is staged, Ogilvy, Arnold and Wygle will create—with audience help—a story on the spot.
"It will be improvised from suggestions from the kids in the audience. We'll orchestrate it and Patsy will type it as we go. There'll be a beginning, middle and an end, in print, bound and given to the kids who participate," Arnold said. "We want to show that art in any form starts with an idea, a seed. That grows if it's nurtured. We want to empower some of them to put pen to paper or brush to canvas."
Photo by Laura Caruso
The cast of ?An Enchanted Episode? rehearses for their three-day performances. From left to right, Jamie Wygle, Abigail Barton, Patsy Wygle, Kira Burleson and Allyssa Corrao-Bal.
