CENTERblog

The Velveteen Rabbit
by Hannah Swanson - West High School

Stuffed animals really do come to life in this play, performed by Alaska Theatre of Youth on Thursday night. These aspiring actors ranged from the age of 7-11 years old, and put on a mildly entertaining show. It was the classic story of the Velveteen Rabbit who found his heart in his sawdust inside, to save the boy from the scarlet fear, or the scarlet fever. Full of morals and a happy ending, there was a little more love in the Sydney Laurence Theatre.

The main characters included the Velveteen Rabbit played by Jacob Gershel who was at least 6 feet tall, and towered over all the other actors. His four friends included the Skin Horse, Wind-up Mouse, Bulka the Puppy, and Timothy the Lion. Each character had their own little quirk through ought the play. Timothy sneezed at Bulka’s dust collecting ears. Bulka fainted at any scary moment. The Skin Horse was known for being wise and having all the answers. Each child portrayed their personalities well thru emotions on their faces, as well as body language.

The set was beautifully made and painted, from volunteers listed in the program. The stage was split in half. On the right was Alex‘s bedroom, the sick boy. On the left was the garden on the outside of the house. All trees were painted with great detail, and the bedroom had great colors. The costumes were also very nicely constructed and fit well into the play.

The acting done by the children was very impressive for the age. None forgot their lines, or even so much as fumbled a word. For as many lines as some of the main characters had to memorize, that was a great feat to have accomplished. They kept the energy going, even involving the audience of verbal participation helping Alex’s nanny. We all got to yell, “Find the rabbit! Find the rabbit!”

It was a very sweet performance put on by this theatre. Although it was one of its last shows for the season, next season should be pleasing as well. With a classic, Winnie-the-Pooh, and a thriller, Frankenstein. So keep an eye out for this local group that would love the support!

The Velveteen Rabbit
Alaska Theatre of Youth
April 23, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.
Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, Sydney Laurence Theatre