Story book comes to life

Tom Titus

The character of 10-year-old Anastasia Krupnik was created by Lois

Lowry in 1979 in a short story written for a magazine, but Lowry was

so taken with Anastasia that she adapted that story into a book.

In the years since then, there have been eight more “Anastasia”

books, as well as a series of novels about her brother, Sam.

Next weekend, Anastasia will come to life on the stage of the

Laguna Playhouse when its Youth Theater inaugurates its new season

with the logically titled “Anastasia Krupnik.”

“Anastasia is a delightful, charming, spirited girl who is

fortunate enough to have parents who understand and accept her for

who she is,” commented Joe Lauderdale, director of the Youth Theater.

“Her various adventures are situations we can all recognize from our

own childhood.”

For instance, Anastasia receives an F on her poetry assignment

because it doesn’t rhyme. But when her father -- a poetry professor

-- reads it, he claims, “This is an F for ‘fabulous.’”

When Anastasia gets the horrifying news that her parents are

expecting a baby -- a boy -- she considers leaving home and becoming

a Catholic like her friend Jennifer. But when her parents tell her

she can pick the little newcomer’s name -- and when she learns about

confession -- she decides to stay where she is.

“As with all her stories, Lois Lowry has captured the life of her

child protagonist in every way,” Lauderdale says. “Our production

will be directed by education director Donna Inglima and will feature

a cast of both young people and adults.”

“The playhouse’s Youth Theater is unique among children’s

theaters. It is the only amateur youth theater in the country that is

a major component of a professional regional theater,” declares

Lauderdale, who has been its director for 14 years and has led more

than 60 productions.

The Youth Theater presents a season of four plays each year at the

playhouse. Typically, three of the plays are based on contemporary

and classic children’s literature and are appropriate for ages 4 and

older, while the fourth show is geared for audiences 12 and older and contains more mature content and subject matter.

The playhouse’s youth programs are divided into the Conservatory,

for ages 10 to 15, and the Repertory, for ages 14 to 18. Students in

both programs audition for age-appropriate roles in the Youth Theater

productions.

“Each student works with the playhouse staff of professional

theater artists to produce the show,” Lauderdale says. “Students are

trained to operate all equipment, including lights and sound, hang

and focus lighting instruments and work the front of the house as

well as stage manage and assistant direct.”

“Anastasia Krupnik” will kick off a season of Youth Theater that

includes the children’s classics “The Wizard of Oz” and “Tom Sawyer,”

as well as a play for the older kids, “The Wrestling Season.”

Performances of “Anastasia Krupnik” will begin Oct. 11 and will

run through Oct. 20 with curtain times of 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2 and

7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 1 and 5 p.m. Sundays at the playhouse, 606

Laguna Canyon Road. Post-performance question-and-answer sessions are

planned for opening night and the Oct. 19 evening performance. Call

(949) 497-2787 for ticket information.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Coastline Pilot.