Children At Play
The Unicorn Theater company in Logan not only offers children age five and up drama classes, but also gives them a chance to use them. Almost every month, the theater sponsors a “pillow production,” where young actors star in productions written specifically for children’s theater, said Ruth Call, a founder of Unicorn Theater.
Children attending these plays are invited to sit on pillows close to the stage – hence the name “pillow theater,” Call said.
This month is no exception to the tradition of pillow theater at Unicorn. April’s performance will be “The Silver Whistle” by Patrick B. Mace, said director Aaron Martin. “The Silver Whistle” is the story of a magic whistle capable of granting wishes that is lost by a princess and found by several eccentric characters, including a soldier, a street musician and two thieves named Rago and Bago.
The theme of the play is that people “should be careful what they wish for,” Martin said. The play was chosen because it allows a wide range in the ages of the actors, Martin said. Another perk of “The Silver Whistle” is that audience members can be actively involved in the play, a real treat for young audience members, Martin said.
“The characters ask the audience questions, and there is a part where some audience members get to play musical instruments,” Martin said.
Martin, who has directed two other productions for Unicorn, enjoys directing children’s theater because “they are creative, and have an enthusiasm you don’t get with adults.”
Children’s theater has a lot to offer audiences as well, Martin said.
“They show exactly what kids are capable of. Plays aren’t easy [to be a part of]; sometimes people underestimate what kids can do,” Martin said.
“I believe that in order to help children realize their full potential for a creative life they should have a daily experience in the arts,” Call said. “And since theater is a fusion of all the arts, it is a most valuable experience.”
There is a difference between children’s theater and creative drama, which is taught in the Unicorn classes, Call said.
“Creative drama in its informal classroom setting encourages the expression of ideas and cultivates imaginative thinking,” Call said. For example, children are encouraged to decipher why a character in a play is a villain or a hero, Call said. Children’s theater – the plays themselves – gives children “an understanding of life drawn from the human experience they see on stage,” Call said.
“The classes are a lot of fun,” said Mae Saul, cast as the policeman in “The Silver Whistle.” “We get to do skits; one time we pretended we were ants crossing a highway to get to an Oreo cookie.”
Acting in plays helps children develop confidence in expressing themselves, Call said.
“After you see a pillow play, you want to start trying out for them,” said Christine Liddell, who plays the thief Bago in “The Silver Whistle.”
“It’s better than watching TV,” Saul said.
“The Silver Whistle” will be presented in the Unicorn Theater/classroom in the Bullen Center on 43 South Main in Logan April 7, 14, 21 and 28.
All tickets are $2 and are available at the theater 30 minutes before the show begins at 2 p.m.
Small children are encouraged. For more information, call 755-7047.