1/18/2010 3:50:00 PM Stages Theatre brings 'The Snowy Day' to life
Jalen Groves, lead actor in ‘The Snowy Day,’ sits center stage at Stages Theatre in the Hopkins. Photo: Mark Trockman
‘The Snowy Day’
Who: Stages Theatre Company
Where: Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins
When: Through Feb. 14
Tickets: $15 for adults, $12 for youth and seniors. Lap passes available for children up to 4 years old.
Information: Call 952- 979-1111 or go to www.stagestheatre.org
By Ed Huyck
When Stages Theatre Company Artistic Director Sandy Boren-Barrett realized that its latest adaptation, "The Snowy Day," was the first picture book to feature an African-American child in the lead role, her perception of their project changed.
"You feel like it's really important to stay true to the intent of the writer and the illustrations, and make sure that you remain true to the spirit of the story," she said.
The company's adaptation of the beloved 1963 Caldecott Award winner, now running at the Hopkins Center for the Arts, expands Ezra Jack Keats' original picture book into an hour-long journey through a world transformed by an unexpected snowfall. The adaptation, by Stages' veteran Mark Rosenwinkel, also features original music by Michael Mahler.
"You could tell from the story that this young person lives in an urban setting and it makes the transformation of this urban environment by snow that much more magical," Boren-Barrett said. "We start the story before the snowfall, in the inner-city setting. Then all if it [the snowfall] is done right in front of the audience."
Mahler's score reflects the setting - and its change. "In the beginning, it has a percussive, jazz feel to it," Boren-Barrett said. After that, it continues to shift with the setting, though it does include rousing numbers along the way, such as during a snowball fight, she added.
The young boy at the center of the story, Peter, has a sense of innocence around him. The adaptation plays into that, presenting "dangers" - the aforementioned snowball fight or an initial fear of sledding - that the character faces on his unusual day.
"We have a very young actor in the role and it's been a real joy to work with him," Boren-Barrett said of 9-year-old Jalen Groves. "He has no previous experience, but he's been great."
Groves is a student at the Fair School, a fine arts magnet located in Crystal. "The woman who plays his mother in the play [Channing Jones] is a Stages staff member and his acting teacher at Fair. For a young person to have the opportunity to work side by side with their theater teacher is great. It's an amazing opportunity for both him and Channing," Boren-Barrett said.
"During his time in rehearsals, Groves has grown considerably as an actor. That is not unusual for the young performers at Stages. From the first read through to now, he's been able to watch three professional adult actors and be mentored by them, as well as by the ensemble cast that has actors who have been in a number of shows at Stages. The growth of that actor will continue, even from opening night to closing. As it would be for anyone - that's what you are looking for," Boren-Barrett said.
The entire show is "absolutely one of the most collaborative ventures I've ever worked on," Boren-Barrett said.
