Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Lost & Found Theatre’s education mandate, under Education Director Alan K. Sapp, is multi-faceted, but its longest-running arm is its work with young actors. This takes the form of The Lost & Found Theatre Young Company (formerly the Young Ensemble). TYC has been in existence since 2009, but the 2014/2015 Season marked the start of something new. In the Fall TYC had its first master class audition workshop and this spring TYC is producing its first show since 2011 – Bottom and the Mechanicals written by celebrated playwright Gary Kirkham, directed by Alan K. Sapp.
“We’re so excited about this show because this will be its World Premiere,” says Hannah Ziss, Bottom producer. “It’s a fantastic adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream that has a palpable youthful energy. Plus, we have Alan K. Sapp at the helm whose directing experience and knowledge of Shakespeare is so valuable. It’s a perfect script and production team for a professional quality showcase of the talented youth in our region.”
And the actors really are from all over the region. They range in age from
14-21 and attend Eastwood Collegiate, St. Benedicts Catholic School,
Kitchener Collegiate Institute, Sir John A Macdonald High School,
Woodland Christian School, Forest Heights Collegiate Institute, Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, and the University of Waterloo. Some cast members are home schooled and one hails from Fergus and attends Centre Wellington District High School.
Bottom takes the story of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and cuts out the lovers. The text is still predominantly the original Shakespeare text, but the story is streamlined to a shorter version with a sharper focus. “It’s hilarious,” says Ziss. “The actors are working wonderfully with this comedic script. This story is so accessible that audiences of all ages and all levels of experience in Shakespeare will laugh out loud.”
Bottom is just one part of The Young Company’s spring show. The cast is also in the process of creating a puppetry piece under War Horse puppeteer Brad Cook. “We’re so excited about this – we think it’s part of what makes us unique. Brad is a brilliant artist with an incredible puppetry background. Our actors love working with him very much,” Ziss says.
WORLD PREMIERE of
‘BOTTOM AND THE MECHANICALS’
by Gary Kirkham; directed by Alan K. Sapp
May 7-9, KW Little Theatre, 9 Princess St. E
Adults: $15; Students: $10
Tickets: lostandfoundtheatre.ca
2015-04-21
Kitchener: Lost & Found Theatre Young Company presents "Bottom and the Mechanicals" May 7-9