It’s not unusual for a director to give a shout out to the star of a show.
Sometimes, a good actor can elevate an entire production. Occasionally, that one actor can carry a performance, but the Alban Arts Center’s production of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe†is a show with lots of moving parts.
The production opens Friday in St. Albans. It includes a cast of puppets, puppeteers and multigenerational actors. Director Mariah Plante said they were lucky to have them all.
“I’ve got actors in their 60s. I’ve got actors who are six and seven years old,†she said. “They all bring their very unique perspectives to the show. I love hearing their ideas and I really feel like I’ve assembled a dream team.â€
But one part of the cast and crew really stood out.
“Our costume designer is the true hero of this whole production,†Plante said.
That would be Rudi Arrowood, who is better known for her roles with the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Light Opera Guild. She was last seen as the fairy godmother in the Guild’s production of “Cinderella.†The actress was also Marian the librarian in last year’s production of “The Music Man†and has been a regular in Guild performances for several years.
“But this is actually her first time taking on the role of costume designer,†Plante said.
It was a big role, she said. Arrowood had to dress dozens of different characters.
Written by C.S. Lewis, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe†features talking animals and other fantastic creatures from myth and legend.
“She did a lot of wonderful research and has sourced some very cool animal costumes,†Plante said. “The costumes are really going to be impressive in this one.â€
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Play helps say ‘goodbye’ to winter
Aside from the costuming, Plante said the show is an epic send-off to winter and a good show to help people welcome spring and maybe celebrate Easter a little early.
“It’s just been a really joyous, playful experience to discover,†she said.
Lewis wrote “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe†as part of his “Chronicles of Narnia†series.
“What I really love about the story is something that’s central to a lot of the plays we do at the Alban,†Plante said. “It’s this idea that children, very small people with not much power, through teamwork, collaboration and imagination can overcome insane obstacles.â€
And the show is full of action, including a huge battle scene.
“There’s like 12 or 14 individual sword fights going on all at once,†Plante said. “So, that was a bear to have to tackle as a director.â€
The Alban last produced “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe†around Christmas in 2011.
It was the Alban’s second show after the theater opened that same year. Plante said there’d been some discussion about running the production around Christmastime again.
“But we thought it would be really nice for the audience to see the show and then walk out into a beautiful spring day,†she said.
