Wagon Wheel has offered a summer theater workshop for youth for the past several years.
Beginning in January, the theater will offer a similar theater experience in the winter.
According to workshop co-director Dannielle Robertson, during the Youth Winter Theater Workshop, students will learn about prop building, puppetry, body movement, acting, illusions, story telling, writing and choral work. Workshop students also will put on a full-length production of Mary Zimmerman's "The Arabian Nights".
"It's another outreach to the community in establishing a year-round program for Warsaw, in particular its youth," Robertson said.
Robertson said when she talked this summer to co-director Ben Dicke about doing "The Arabian Nights", she told him about her interest and love for the Middle East and their culture. The play allows children to see the area is more than just oil and wars, it has a wide range of culture and colors.
Zimmerman's adaptation of "The Arabian Nights" weaves ancient tales of wonder into rich and poetic testament to the transformational power of storytelling, according to information provided by Robertson. In the story, King Shahryar marries, loves, then kills a young woman each night - until he encounters Scheherezade. For 1,001 nights, he delays her murder as he eagerly awaits her next tale of love, lust, hilarity or sorrow. The final scene brings the audience back to modern day Baghdad, and the distant air raid sirens warn of the danger threatening the land.
"It's a straight drama. It's not a musical," said Robertson. "It allows kids to experience this culture, the color of it, without the violence."
The students in the Youth Winter Theater Workshop will present the play twice. The first will be Feb. 26, and the second will be Feb. 27.
"The children own it. It's all them, it's their program. They have to carry the whole program," said Robertson.
Along with co-directors Robertson and Dicke, art direction and production design will be done by David Lepor.The workshop itself begins Jan. 16 at the Wagon Wheel. It meets every Saturday for six weeks from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the last weekend in February on stage at the Wagon Wheel. The workshop is for youth 10 to 18 years old. Cost is $200.
For more information about the workshop, contact the theater at 574-267-8041, or visit online at www.wagonwheeltheatre.com
