A FAMILY ADVENTURE BY LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT STARTS OFF THE NEW YEAR AT SUNSET PLAYHOUSE
Elm Grove - Take a trip back to the adventure, romance, mysticism, and morality of medieval times with James DeVita’s “Arthur: The Boy Who Would Be King,” running January 11-27 at Sunset Playhouse in Elm Grove.
A new adaptation using Mallory's Morte de Artur and Tennyson's Idylls of the King as its primary sources, Wisconsin writer and actor James DeVita has created his own interpretation of the Arthurian legend. As King Arthur nears the end of his reign, he is disillusioned, unsure of whether he has accomplished anything notable or worthy. With Merlin's help, Arthur travels back to the days of his youth to see just what he did accomplish. Wonders appear, swords clash, plots are hatched, and brave deeds are performed.
“While this is a play where children perform along with the adults, it’s not specifically or just a play for children,” says Sunset Artistic Director Mark Salentine. “In fact,” points out Salentine, “we’re approaching this production from a realistic and adult point of view. This classic story is for anyone who has grown up loving the legend of Camelot.”
Salentine will direct the cast of 33, with the youngest actor being 8 years old and the oldest being “60+.” Appropriately, many relatives of varying ages will be performing together in this family show. Brother and sister Jack (13 years old) and Mary Clare (9 ½) Slavinsky will act with Brian Sprenger, along with the father/daughter team of Randal and Jennifer (14) Vosters, all from Brookfield. From Elm Grove come Karsen Bell (11), Hazel Clark (8), Molly Langhenry (12), and Stefan Romero (10), who plays Arthur as a boy. From Hartland, Thomas Van Gilder, playing the role of Sir Lancelot, will join his two sons, Andrew (12) and John (14) on stage. Mark Minkin and Claire Olejnik (10) come from the Menomonee Falls/Germantown area. Ed Carroll as Merlin and Rick Richter as the adult King Arthur come from Greenfield. Heather Clayton of Milwaukee will play Lady Guinevere and be waited on by her daughter, Hannah Schraven (11). Heather will also have her son, Brandon Schraven (14) of West Allis, to guard her from the attacks of a character played by Heather’s brother, Nathan Holtz (19) of Oak Creek. Anthony Shine (18), playing the villain Mordred, and Vicki Spaulding, who plays the adult sorceress Morgana, also come from Milwaukee. Joshua Stoiber (14) and Doug Smedbron, as Sir Ector, come from Muskego. Two sisters from New Berlin, Caroline and Stephanie Seymour, ages 8 and 12 respectively, play Guinevere from girl to teen.
From Waukesha comes Joshua Saeger, age 8, one of many children getting their first experience in a play. From Wauwatosa, Camille Erickson, age 11, will perform with Lena Tomaszek, age 12, and Jacob Volcensek, age 10, who are both new to the stage. Tim Kietzman, also of Wauwatosa, returns to the Sunset stage in a dramatic antagonist role after his comic turn in “The Amorous Ambassador” last season. Finally, “Arthur…” will have Joe Frank (14) and Claire Ungerecht (9) of West Allis getting their first tastes of the limelight.
Resident Scenic Designer J. Michael Desper has designed a set of varying platform heights made to represent both indoor and outdoor scenes, with special attention given to the need of space for sword fights and areas for magical flashes and smoke. Sunset is happy to welcome back Marty Wallner, a long-time Sunset volunteer and professional lighting designer, to lighting a main stage.
Arthur… runs January 11th through January 27th. Tickets for Arthur… are $18.00. Group rates for 15 or more people are available. A $9 student price is available one hour prior to show time.
For more information or to order tickets by telephone, call the Box Office at (262) 782-4430. Box Office hours are Monday through Friday 12:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. and Saturdays 1:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.
TICKETS ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE!