2008 Woodie Awards
Theater goes to the zoo
Michael Jeffries
Issue date: 11/3/05 Section: Features
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The play, written by Nikki Harmon, caters to an elementary school audience and features animals who escape from a New York zoo in hopes to find their natural habitat in the wild.
"It's essentially a story about strangers in a strange place and a search for their homeland," said Julie Pratt, director of the play.
The play focuses on the lives of several animals who journey throughout New York City trying to find the right home for each of them.
Besides being entertaining, the play is specially designed to include educational themes that correspond with student's curriculum and arts-in-education.
"In addition to enjoying the play, students will have the opportunity to learn about being a good leader, conservation efforts and ecology," Pratt said.
Pratt, along with other members of the theatre department, has worked with several departments on campus to provide the elementary student audience with factual-based information to enhance learning.
"We connected with some of the biology students who have been instrumental in helping us convey what the habitat looks like in some of the areas in which these animals are from," Pratt said.
In addition to preparing for the educational portion of the production, the cast did several things to better their portrayal of an animal.
"We've done lot's of studying on animals and their posture," Pratt said. "We have done several exercises to help the cast with their posture and movements. They have really been absolutely amazing."
Portraying an animal has not been such an easy thing for Kelly Jo Blake, who will play a monkey named Semta.
"It's been the hardest role I've ever tackled physically," Blake said. "I've done a lot of studying and have even been to the zoo twice to get some ideas of how monkeys move. Not only are we trying to mix human elements into the play but we're trying to keep the animals looking, standing and moving like real animals would."
Expectations for the play are high, but the cast and crew believe the children will enjoy the excitement produced by the play.
"I think the children are going to go crazy," Blake said. "It's such a visually pleasing show and it's so active. I think they are going to love the chase scenes because the animals will actually be out in the crowd, climbing over them as they try to escape."
"I think it's going to be a blast," Pratt said. "They'll laugh and I hope learn as well."
The play has already drawn a lot of interest. Pratt said that about 2,800 elementary students are expected over the three-day production. They expect students from Kansas City and surrounding areas along with Warrensburg students.
Single tickets are on sale for one to five dollars and can be purchased by calling the Performing Arts Series box office at 660-543-8607.