Home » Storybook Brings Theater To Fremont, And Our Kids

Storybook Brings Theater To Fremont, And Our Kids

by Kirby Lindsay Laney, 11 April 2016

 

Cast of the Storybook Theater 'Sleeping Beauty' coming soon to Hale's Palladium.  Photo by Lani Brockman
Cast of the Storybook Theater ‘Sleeping Beauty’ coming soon to Hale’s Palladium. Photo by Lani Brockman

April 16th & 17th, Hale’s Palladium will be the first of five venues for final production of the 24th season of Storybook Theater.  Over this weekend, Storybook will bring to life, at four performances, an educational and entertaining telling of ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ with enough action, music and audience participation to engage young and old, boy and girl, passive and passionate theatergoers.

A program of Studio East, Storybook Theater wraps its 2015-16 season with a tale of a princess who dreams of traveling the world and being more than a beautiful decoration, and a prince who wants to slay dragons without the bother of learning how.  This fairy tale teaches, in the telling, about the need to learn how to follow your dreams.

The small cast of Kristin Burch, Brad Walker, Simon Pringle, Deonn Ritchie Hunt, and Sierra Kagen will arrive at the Palladium with sets, costumes, original music & lyrics (performed by the talented composer, Susan Bardsley,) and a playful attitude.  After the four shows, Saturday & Sunday, Stage Manager Liz Clayton will see that everything is securely pack back in the Storybook van, and ready to roll to their next venue, in Renton, for more performances the following weekend.

Storybook Theater, a Studio East program, will bring 'Sleeping Beauty' to Hale's Palladium on April 16th & 17th, 2016.
Storybook Theater, a Studio East program, will bring ‘Sleeping Beauty’ to Hale’s Palladium on April 16th & 17th, 2016.

“They are fun, educational, accessible, affordable shows,” observed Lani Brockman, “all of our sets are books,” made of 4’x8’ Gaterfoam®, “It makes it portable.”  This allows Storybook to travel across our region, entertaining audiences – and giving the next generation opportunities to experience live theater in a warm, welcoming and safe setting.

The ‘Big Book Box’ Travels

Storybook Theater uses its ‘big book box’, as Studio East Executive Artistic Director (and Founder) Brockman described it, to carry their entertaining 55-minute musicals to venues, and schools.  As she pointed out, once hard costs associated with assembling the actors, director (in the case of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ that would be Samuel Jarius Pettit,) sets, costumes, and props, get spent, it makes sense to perform the show for as many audiences as can enjoy it.

Studio East does have an amazing home, in Kirkland, with a 150-seat, ADA accessible theater.  The front row of the StudioEast theatre has repurposed, cushioned pews, in the first rows, to give children flexible, priority seating, close to the action.  However, this theater (and the three-classrooms that surround it,) hosts Studio East Main Stage Shows (starting May 27th – find ‘The Marvelous Land of Oz,’) featuring Studio East students in live productions, produced and performed in this professional setting.

A scene from Storybook Theater's 'Sleeping Beauty' with Bradley Steiger, Deonn Hunt, and David Roby.  Photo by Lani Brockman
A scene from Storybook Theater’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ with Bradley Steiger, Deonn Hunt, and David Roby. Photo by Lani Brockman

And like Studio East, Storybook Theater “is introducing young people to the performing arts,” explained Brockman.  The short, comical Storybook shows give children opportunities to experience and interact with performers, with a story carefully adapted by Brockman to entertain and educate on a specific theme.  (For ‘Sleeping Beauty’, it is ‘follow your dreams’.)  The shows have no violence but things still happen, including the prince wielding a light saber in ‘Sleeping Beauty.’  This production also teaches acceptance, as the princess – who welcomes visitors to her kingdom from all over the world – dresses in outfits reflecting the visiting cultures, and sings a song of ‘Hello’ in many world languages.  “She wants to be self-directing,” explained Brockman of her story, “not to rely on a prince.”  Meanwhile, “the prince is trying to be independent, and how to learn to follow advice to become independent,” she said.

These are ‘Fractured Fairy Tales,’ written in a Carol Burnett Show-esque style.  Brockman doesn’t bring the traditional story to life.  She looks for ways to teach lessons through these stories.  Next season, ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ will teach about ‘learning from others,’ in October/November, and one of Brockman’s favorite holiday shows, ‘The Elves & The Toymaker’ will teach ‘the spirit of giving,’ in December.

Studio East, and Storybook Theater, founder Lani Brockman with sets and costumes from past and future productions.  Photo by K. Lindsay Laney, Apr '16
Studio East, and Storybook Theater, founder Lani Brockman with sets and costumes from past and future productions. Photo by K. Lindsay Laney, Apr ’16

At ‘The Toymaker,’ Storybook will invite kids to bring toys to donate to HopeLink, as part of the play.  In fact, audiences always play a part in Storybook shows, with children sometimes brought up on stage, sometimes becoming part of the orchestra, and always getting a chance to talk to and ask questions of the cast and crew after every show.

“A few years ago,” Brockman explained about one unexpected interactive moment, “the forest fell down.”  A set collapsed and the actors kept going, but they also used it as a teachable moment.  “The kids are loving it,” Brockman observed, “because it is real.”

Bardsley writes original music for the Storybook shows, creating tunes that captivate the children.  Storybook sells CDs of the show music, and Brockman has heard, “we have parents say, ‘my kids won’t let me listen to anything else!’”  The stories Brockman writes are simple, direct and solid, but she credits Bardsley, “she’s got all the depth,” in the show tunes she contributes.

In the Storybook Theater production, Sleeping Beauty accepts a delivery from the Bad Fairy in disguise.  Photo by Lani Brockman
In the Storybook Theater production, Sleeping Beauty accepts a delivery from the Bad Fairy in disguise. Photo by Lani Brockman

‘Theater Can Be Anywhere’

The traditional theater model, of a fixed stage and a company to perform upon it, has struggled to survive.  The Storybook model, taking the show on the road, is not new, but it now brings to Fremont a children’s theater that, according to Brockman, has met with a welcoming audience.

Brockman does enjoy the chance to use Hale’s Palladium – and the stage built by Moisture Fest.  “I love the informality of it,” Brockman said of the Palladium, “that theater can be anywhere.  I love that you can have a glass of beer while your child enjoys an age-appropriate show in the same space.”

According to Brockman, the Hale’s management have been very helpful, reciprocating Studio East and Storybook efforts to advertise and promote the shows.  The new Showtime-Meals-To-Go program at Hale’s launched during the last Storybook show (‘Jack & The Beanstalk’.)  Brockman and the families that attended were glad to have the opportunity to order real, healthy and delicious meals from Hale’s Pub, delivered to the concession counter in the Palladium.

“We’re always looking for theaters,” Brockman acknowledged, in areas underserved with access to live theater for children ages 3 – 10.  She’s been talking with venues in Columbia City and the Rainier Valley, about bringing Storybook there – and, on their suggestion, examining the diversity of the fairy tales they tell and the racial make-up of their casts.

The Fairy Godmother (Deonn Hunt) introduces the Storybook Theater 'big book in a box'.  Photo by Lani Brockman
The Fairy Godmother (Deonn Hunt) introduces the Storybook Theater ‘big book in a box’. Photo by Lani Brockman

For now, ‘Sleeping Beauty’ opens at Hale’s Palladium, on April 16th & 17th, then moves to Renton Carco Theater (where Brockman first took Storybook on the road.)  At the beginning of May, the show will be at the Kirkland Performance Center, then on May 15th at the Everett PUD Auditorium and May 21st the Shoreline Conference Center.

Building Future Audiences, And Performers

Brockman started her own career as an actress, having studied at theater education at the University of Washington.  She also studied at Circle In The Square in New York, and worked with Reading Is Fundamental, Disney and Ringling Bros.  She also spent two years traveling to different cities to perform and educate young audiences.  “During my touring as the Evil Queen, my show was in a van,” Brockman recalled.  She also learned, through summer stock, about how to stage a new show every six days, bringing all the elements together quickly and efficiently, to entertain and enlighten audiences.

Today, Brockman oversees Studio East, and its wide range of educational programs for children and young adults, working to keep the non-profit financially healthy and stable into the future.  Donations and grants keep the doors open, as much as subscriptions and tuitions.  So, keeping prices low for Storybook shows ($15 per person,) is important, but she also wants to keep taking shows out, to build a future audience – and potential performers.

For instance, among the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ cast, Kagen started training at Studio East as a child before moving on to study at Brandies University and Circle In The Square.  Through its programs, including summer camps, Studio East can give a new generation of performers a place to learn the skills to live their passion.

If you and your children would like to see ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ or another Storybook production, in Fremont at the Palladium or one of the other venues, visit the Storybook website for ticket purchases.  And, consider getting a subscription for the upcoming 25th season, to save money on ticket fees.

Fremont has a great legacy of live, and occasionally outlandish, performances.  Storybook brings us a fun, educational and engaging way to introduce this amazing art form to our children!

 

 


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©2016 Kirby Laney.  This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws.  Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.

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