INA, Ill. (Oct. 23, 2015) - Christmas is coming early to Rend Lake College when the 2015 Fall Play, “The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus,†hits the stage in two weeks. Tickets are on sale now for the live performances, which debut at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5 and additional show times at 7 p.m. Nov. 6-7 and 2 p.m. Nov. 8.
The play is an adaptation of the original children’s novel of the same name published in 1902 by L. Frank Baum, who is better-remembered as the author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.†Tracey Webb, RLC Theatre Professor and fall play director, said the show will be family-friendly and lively as actors portray the infancy, adolescence, and motivation that led to the present-day fictional character.
Helping Webb behind the scenes this semester is Shelby Patterson of Waltonville who will serve as the Stage Manager. Patterson is a self-proclaimed “veteran of the RLC theatre†who has worked as a stage manager, actor, props master, makeup artist, sound board operator, and many other roles both at RLC and around Southern Illinois.
“I started out in theatre in 2013, when I joined the on-campus Thespians group and got involved with ‘Flummoxed Fairy Tales’ for the first time, serving as an actor and production assistant,†said Patterson. “Since then, I have stage-managed for RLC and Southern Illinois University Carbondale. I went to a high school with no theatre, so I had no idea about theatre until I got to RLC and met Tracey. It was then that I discovered what I want to do for the rest of my life.â€
Patterson said this year’s production is already shaping up to be a great one. With only days left for rehearsals, she said the cast and crew are getting pumped to provide a one-of-a-kind performance.
“Theatre is such a wonderful gift. You get to create magic for an audience night after night,†said Patterson. “I’m excited about the audience’s reaction to the show. It’s not just the run-of-the-mill Santa Claus show. One of the best feelings for a stage manager is seeing the audience give each performance a standing ovation. Even being backstage, there is no better thrill than hearing the show got a standing ovation. The cast and crew have put so much work into this show already and I know it will pay off.â€
Two leading actors in the play are Leland Ferguson of Mt. Vernon and Lauren Schaubert of Salem who will play King and Queen Awgwa respectively. In the story, the awgwa are antagonists who battle against a young Santa Claus, who at the time is creating toys for children while living in Laughing Valley.
Both Ferguson and Schaubert are actors returning to the RLC stage, though this is their first role as a main cast member. Ferguson said this play is going to be a must-see.
“I am very excited for this play because it is my first major role. I have been in several of Tracey’s plays throughout the years, most notably in ‘Coney Island of Dr. Moreau’ when I played the show dog, and in ‘Flummoxed Fairy Tales’ when I played the wolf,†said Ferguson. “I want to thank anyone planning to attend and hope they enjoy the play.â€
For Schaubert, the role as an antagonist is the most thrilling part of “The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.†In the past, her roles have been happy, secondary characters, like Venus in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame†and the Fairy Queen in “Flummoxed Fairy Tales.â€
“I am most excited about the fact that I don’t have to plaster a smile on my face the entire show, and I can look angry and scream as mean as I want,†said Schaubert. “But it’s a very family-friendly show with child-like humor in it. It will be a fantastic place to bring all of the kids you know.â€
The script, written by Pat Cook, focuses on how Santa Claus became who he is, including why he started making and delivering toys to children, why he uses reindeer to transport the toys, why the chimney became his point of entry into many of the homes, and much more.
Filled with delightful creatures such as reindeer, fairies, knooks, ryls, and wood nymphs, children and adults alike will love the fanciful story. Not only does the play reveal why Santa does what he does, it also reveals that in his youth, he had to face the scary awgwas, creatures who liked to upset children and play nasty tricks on the village youths.
In addition to Ferguson, Patterson, and Schaubert, there are 35 actors, all of whom are expected to help build the set in addition to learning lines and dances:
There are also several crew members and volunteers helping with the play including Tara Bell (Johnston City) doing makeup, Kyle Brooks (Herrin) as the costume designer, Patrick Burke (Mt. Vernon) as the light board operator, Shawna Cardwell (Benton) as backstage help, Jonathon Dauby (Springerton) as backstage help, Cazy Garrett (Benton) as props assistant and videographer, Anthony Mitchell (Benton) as lighting designer, Juliana Piercy (Belle Rive) as a spotlight operator, Dala Wingo (Bonnie) as a spotlight operator, and Yuting Zhang (Dahlgren) doing makeup.
Tickets cost $12 each and can be purchased by contacting the Box Office at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1467, from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays or from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Fridays. Tickets can also be purchased on campus during the same times in the North Oasis, Room 134. Visa, MasterCard, and Discover are accepted. Tickets will be available at the Theatre on show night if they are not sold out.