Directors' Note:
Waverly Theatre Company’s 2022-23 theme is “Finding Our Way Home,” and both of these beautiful stories remind us that the places we visit in life make us who we are and help us to define “home.” In “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” it’s Tumnas pining for the Narnia that once was and the children discovering their true identity through the magic of an old house. In “Wild Waves Whist,” it’s a classroom of students wiggling their way into a teacher’s heart so that the entire trajectory of his life is forever changed. And boy do we get that!
For all of these kids and all of us directors, it’s this space, this auditorium, where we spend a couple hours after school every day for months so that, in one whirlwind of a weekend, we can tell these stories well. Every costume, every line, every piece of scenery, and every single light and sound cue are pieces of these stories – stories that tell of heartbreak and growing up and discovery and doing the right thing even when it’s not easy – stories that have become our own.
The late, great Andy Kaufman once said, “When I perform, it’s very personal. I’m sharing things I like, inviting the audience into my room.” And we get that, too. So we want to take a minute to thank you, our guest, for entering our “home” and making yourself a part of these stories. We hope they find a way into your hearts as they have into ours.
Sincerely,
Kristen Friesen, Jeromy Doele, and Nate Lee
