When the LZHS fall play closes the curtain, the Drama Department’s Children’s Theater production is only a short intermission away.

            Marcel Graham, Technical Director, does not only take charge of the lights and sound for Children’s Theater, like the other plays, but is also directs the production.

            “Graham directs it and technical directs it too. And [David Harmon, Drama teacher,] produces it,” LaVanne said. “Directing is what you think of with a play, actually giving advice to actors and showing people how to do things where producing is more behind the scenes.”

            Graham volunteered for the position after unstable directing.

            “We went for many years of having a revolving door of directors and we wanted something more stable,” Graham said. “There were [teachers and outside people] who directed. Denise Sabala directed a few, and Sarah Wade who used to be at the middle school did too.”

            Harmon directs and Graham is in charge of the technical theater for the fall and spring productions, and with Graham taking the lead on both fronts of directing for the Children’s Theater, the rehearsals are a little more crammed.

Students audition for the play before Winter Break and rehearsals begin over break. While there’s the same amount of time commitment for students, Graham works extra to prepare the students for the play.

“It’s considerably more work for me, but for this time slot a lot of the acting takes place over December and a lot of the tech takes place over Winter Break and January,” Graham said. “Towards the end [acting and tech] are together.”

Graham said often times he is at the school until 7 or 8pm at night. LaVanne agrees the schedule can get packed.

            “Since Graham does both, sometimes we have to switch off a lot. Sometimes we do [acting and stage crew] on the same days, and sometimes we switch off days,” LaVanne said. “It’s a lot more work for him.”

            Even with the busy rehearsal schedule, nothing is out of the ordinary for this year’s cast for Alice in Wonderland.

            “Children’s Theater is a chance for the underclassmen to be in a play and to give them the experience. A lot of upperclassmen don’t even try out,” LaVanne said.

            Graham argues the Children’s Theater cast and crew depends on the fall play.

            “Sometimes the play in the fall is so intense that the people need a break after that,” Graham said. “This year the first show only had 10 kids, so there was a large audition group for Alice in Wonderland.”

            Graham said normally there are 30 to 40 students acting in the play and 30 to 40 on tech crew, and this year is average with about 80 kids participating.

            “All days there are younger kids coming to watch, but Friday and Saturday tends to be more kids coming to see their friends or parents,” Graham said.

            LaVanne thinks that even with the differences from the usual productions, Children’s Theater can be a great experience for everyone who comes to the show.

            “We have a field trip day where younger students come to watch it,” LaVanne said. “It’s also a lot more younger kids who come to the other shows. It’s a lot of fun and is a lot easier to make what we call ‘theater magic.’”

            Alice in Wonderland was performed on February 3rd, 4th, and 5th in the PAC. For a review of the play, visit https://lzbearfacts.com.