Humor, adventure and an important lesson are part of Alliance Children’s Theater of Indiana’s second production.
The company, which debuted with “A Winnie-the-Pooh Christmas Tail” in December, and Canterbury Winter Arts Series present “Wiley and the Hairy Man” March 23-25 at Canterbury Theatre in Michigan City.
“I directed the show in Chicago about 20 or 25 years ago (at Reilly Elementary School where he was a drama teacher). It’s a great story. It appealed to the students at the school where I worked,” said Donald R. Beck, director of “Wiley and the Hairy Man.”
“I’ve always wanted to do it again. Now’s the time to revisit it. It’s appropriate for kids. It’s got a great message so I’m excited about it.”
“Wiley and the Hairy Man” was written by Suzan Zeder, who is considered one of the leading playwrights for youth and family audiences in the United States, according to Dramatic Publishing, which licenses the show worldwide.
Zeder is a six-time winner of the Distinguished Play Award from the American Alliance of Theatre & Education, including a 2015 award for “Wiley and the Hairy Man,” which Assitej, International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People, named an Outstanding Play for Young Audiences.
“I actually met her at a conference in the early 1990s and had a very pleasant conversation with her. She’s a wonderful playwright,” said Beck, of Michigan City.
“She’s one of my favorite playwrights for children. She takes these sometimes marginalized characters and tells stories about them. The kid in the show is a boy who lives in the swamp. He’s a poor kid and fatherless so he has to reach inside himself to find his inner strength.”
The legendary and fearsome Hairy Man has taken Wiley’s father and threatens to get Wiley so Wiley’s mother, a conjure woman, tries to teach him how to defeat his nemesis with chants and potions.
“He’s just got to make up his mind to face his fears,” said Beck about Wiley’s challenge.
The cast is Jakob Innes of Valparaiso as Wiley; Alexander Bonner of Michigan City as the Hairy Man; Christine Long of Michigan City as Mammy; Kali Rasala of Highland as Dog; and Andrea Bertsch and Mark McColley of Valparaiso, and Kendra and Grace Vanderstar of LaPorte as the Chorus.
“It’s a great cast. I’m pleased with them. I have worked with several of them before, but I’ve got a number of new people. Jakob Innes is doing a terrific job,” said Beck, a board member of Canterbury Theatre.
“I’ve got two kids in the show so that makes it interesting. I always like to use kids in a show to get their perspective. They’re bright. They’re very dedicated. They’re on time. They’re a great group of people to work with.”
A student matinee also is booked for 10 a.m. March 23. Tickets are $5 for students and free for teachers and chaperones for the production, which is appropriate for first- to fifth-graders.
“We need to grow our future audience. Theater is such a wonderful place for kids to come and learn. It helps with their attention span,” Beck said.
“It’s a great feeling to sit in a room full of kids and all have a common experience where they’re laughing and gasping. It’s a magical place. It’s important that kids get to experience that. It’s not TV. It’s live. You never know what’s going to happen.”
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
‘Wiley and the Hairy Man’
When: 7 p.m. March 23; 2 p.m. March 24-25
Where: Canterbury Theatre, 807 Franklin St., Michigan City
Tickets: $10 adults; $5 students
Information: 219-874-4269; www.canterburytheatre.org
