John Meyer
Lantern Staff
The Theatre department presents “The Children’s Show,” written and directed by Bob Peterson, professor of theatre, running Saturday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. Set at the Digby Preparatory School, characters Frank and Alvin set out on an adventure.
Caden Runnalls, technical theatre director, has performed as Alvin the Alligator in two previous Children’s Shows.
“I’ve been face-to-face with the kids that it affects, and I know how much the show means to them,” Runnalls said. “And a big part of that magic that the show gives them is the location and the feelings I and the team give with lighting, scenery, props and music.”
Runnalls feels the technical design has been seamless, as there has not been much change from the last couple of Children’s Show productions.
“… the set has barely changed,” Runnalls said. “There has been some readjusting of platforms and size changes, but other than that my hardest challenge was picking a color and texture for the floor. Referring to the construction process has been just as easy because we (Mr. Peterson and Bernie Wonsetler, the previous technical theatre director,) have gotten into the habit of storing pieces we know we were reusing next year, so the only things that were constructed this year were one bench and the platforms in the back that we reuse from the last show,, Cleopatra.”
Much of the production will take place at the sunken garden, which mimics the one at Emporia State University where Peterson went to college.
“Knowing this information I based a lot of floors, texture and design off of the real location near Emporia, going with a large, reclaimed stone look,” Runnalls said. “The stones are very large to give a subtle effect that the characters on stage are smaller than they really are.”
One significant part of this particular production is the audience of children.
“I like children’s theater because it is colorful, loud and is a “big emotion” process,” Runnalls said. “The performances when we bus in all of the kids from surrounding areas is really the best part. They are the best audience that any actor or crew could ever want, they’re vocal, they’re honest and they’ll tell you what they like.”
You can pick up your tickets at the Box Office: butlercc.edu/info/20118/music—vocal/1071/fine-arts-ticket-reservations
Butler Lantern 