Director’s Note
“Narnia! Oh, you’ll be so glad you came.” Freedom Theatre is ecstatic to start off the 2022-2023 season with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a well-known, family-friendly show jam packed with unique characters and high stakes. This creative tale is an accurate portrayal of C.S. Lewis’ vision for the adventures of the four Pevensie children, with added elements of the magic of Narnia depicted on stage through modern dance. The production focuses on Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy as they travel through the magical land of Narnia, meeting friends and foes on their quest to fulfill the prophecy about becoming kings and queens of Cair Paravel. Come along with us as we climb into an old wardrobe, and use your imagination to help us create this new and magical place!
In an age when children struggle with creativity and imagination in the face of multimedia stimulus, this play returns us to the roots of storytelling and allows for creative interpretation of its characters and world. Our show features many new faces on stage, and each brings a distinctive element to their character that is special and specific to Freedom Theatre. Our show features choreography by Ella Walters and Riley Burns that helps us understand Narnia’s magic. As the White Witch’s power dwindles in the realm, the Wood Nymphs’ stiff dance moves transform into more fluid and flowing contemporary dance to represent the shift from winter to spring. Costume design helps show that these nymphs are breaking free of the Witchs’s spell by adding springtime elements to their costumes and shedding the winter themes. The tech elements support the creation of the magical world and the action of the story of the fight for Narnia and Cair Paravel.
This production allowed for a depth of creativity in many elements and, more importantly, provided an opportunity for students to take artistic leadership on creating the world that you see on stage. Each scene takes place in Narnia, a world we have read about or even seen in a movie, but to depict it on stage takes exceptional collaboration between all technical elements to create a cohesive vision. The actors not only had to play incredibly prominent characters, but they had to find a way to synthesize what people know of the story and their own creative process.
Without the passion and imagination of this cast and crew, our play could not have come together to be the production you are watching tonight. I am deeply honored to be a part of such a creative and unique group of young artists, and I would like to express my extreme gratitude for the hard work put into this production. The incredible parent support provided the backbone for us, while the sincere dedication of the actors and technicians allowed the show its grace. Thank you to Nandini Kotamurthy and Tree Cornelison, my assistant directors, for their dedication and creativity, and thank you to Jay Bercher and Barb Oliphant for guiding the show’s technical teams. It took the commitment and innovation of every person involved to make this show successful, and I could not be more proud of the work we have done together.
