New West Theatre is planning big fun in a world of imagination in this year’s Theatre for Young Audiences production of “Peg and the Yeti.”
The production, based on Kenneth Oppel’s children’s book, runs Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in the Sterndale Bennett Theatre.
“It’s a super, wonderful adventure story about a little girl ,” enthused director Jacqueline Russell.
“She lives on a fishing boat with her parents who go on an adventure. It’s all about children using their imagination,” said Russell who wasn’t familiar with the book before directing the production, but enjo
yed the fact that Peg’s parents go on adventures with her in her imagination, instead of kids being left to have fun on their own.
“ They travel by boat, they travel by train and they even travel by water buffalo,” she laughed.
“ I love that it is a play about imagination. I love that it is an adventure with the parents. They play with Peg instead of telling her to go to bed,” she said.
The performers move the set around to create approximately 20 different scenes and situations in their imaginations.
She has an acting degree from the University of Alberta and is artistic director for Evergreen Theatre for Children in Calgary. She hasn’t worked with New West Theatre before.
She has worked with the other cast members Geneviéve Paré and Cari Russell (no relation) and Jed Tomlinson.
“ I’ve worked with them in a variety of capacities,” said Jacqueline Russell.
“It’s been a really fun process and Gen and Jed are percussionists, so we have a lot of music in this show, though it isn’t a musical,” she emphasized.
There is a lot of audience interaction as the audience is asked to participate by supplying a variety of sound effects.
“And there’s a Yeti. Who doesn’t love a Yeti. Mom and dad play the Yeti together,” she continued.
“The audience will be the final piece of the puzzle that will bring it all together.”
Cari Russell is excited to be back with New West Theatre.
“This play is a lot of fun. It’s set on the east coast,” she said adding she was not only part of Marooned with Munsch in 2010, where she performed with “Peg and the Yeti” co-star Geneviéve Paré, but has also taught at New West Theatre’s drama camps.
“They‘re a very good group to work with. They’re very easygoing but still productive,” she said.
She drew on her own childhood experiences for her part of Peg.
“There is a lot of east coast music to sing along too. I get to pretend I’m on a fishing boat. And Peg, that’s the best part, Peg is basically me as a child,” she said.
“It is high energy, big imagination. And she’s a little sassy too. But she can talk with her parents like they are my friends,” she enthused.
“I’m excited about the audience interaction,” she said.
Peg and the Yeti runs at approximately 60 minutes.
It runs a the Sterndale Bennett theatre, Dec. 26-29 and Jan, 3 and 5 at at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 30, 31 and Jan. 2, and 7 p.m., Jan 4.
