For the first junior musical at the Wagon Wheel Theatre, Artistic Director Scott Michaels said he was looking for a good starter show with a lot of characters. He stumbled upon it online. “Tiny Thumbelina” will feature 25 local students, ages 9-13. Based on the fairy tale, it’s a musical featuring good and bad creatures ranging from moles and toads to a prince and princess. The kids will present the show on the WWT stage Feb. 4-5 at 2 p.m. Admission is $12. “It’s really a cute show,” Michaels said. According to the Pioneer Drama Service Inc. website, “This wonderfully colorful production takes us into Thumbelina’s small and perilous world. An unpleasant family of toads and a water rat named Walter are all determined to capture her. Plus, a muddled old mole thinks our tiny heroine would make a fine wife for himself in his dismal, underground dwelling. If only Thumbelina could find Prince and Princess, the children who promised to take her to the Land of the Little People” The play is spiced with other wonderful roles, according to the website, including the devious Cat who sells Thumbelina to the toads; kindly Old Mother Fieldmouse; Swallow, the flighty bird; Suzi, a spider who can spin a wedding dress; and many more. “Tiny Thumbelina” is the first time Michaels has directed a show in Warsaw featuring all kids. About an hour long, the actors only have two weeks to learn the songs, dance moves and their lines. They rehearse after school and weekends. One hundred kids auditioned for the show, but only 25 were chosen for this musical. Michaels said about 90 percent were from Warsaw. There will be more shows for kids to audition for this year. Michaels said they are looking to do another show in April, and the Wagon Wheel plans to do four a year. Because junior shows will only be a couple of months apart, the kids will be less disappointed if they don’t get a role for one show because they may get a role in the next show. “We’ll try to use different kids,” Michaels said. “We’ll be professional, but we do want it to be educational. Our shows are going to live up to our expectations.” Besides the junior shows, Michaels said they are looking to do workshops, voice and other lessons. The idea is for the Wagon Wheel to become more of an art center. Parents can be involved, too. “Parents are all involved in the production. They can build costumes, paint sets. It’s going to be a big team effort,” said Michaels. The show’s staff includes only Michaels, Jennifer Dow as assistant director and Thomas Stirling as musical director. “It’s just us putting on a show with lots of volunteer help,” said Michaels.Playing a role in “Tiny Thumbelina” are Cameron Crick, Megan Lowman, Lleyton Brainard, Lauren Housel, Nate Pollnow, Isabelle Dittmar, Sydney Trump, Sadie Lemon, Ridley Lemon, Abby Smith, Devin Dawson, Sydney Victa, Will Denzer, Chase Stiffler, Madison Hales, Rachel Kuhn, Riley Bultemeier, Brielle Fehlmann, Sophia Schlitt, Patrick Priest, Morgan Ziebarth, Addison Marshall, Natalie Linquist, Landon Brainard and Nathaniel Wise.
