Aesop's Fables hits the stage
Flathead High School Theatre will explore one of Aesop’s classic fables and the lasting power of friendship with “Androcles and the Lion” January 18 at 6:27 pm in the David M. Hashley Theatre at FHS.
Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children, students and senior citizens. Tickets are available at the FHS Main Office, Photo Video Plus and, if still available, at the door.
This heartwarming story adapted for the stage by Kathryn Walat, features an unlikely trio of friends including a singing mouse, an escaped slave, and a hungry lion whose bond is put to the test. Androcles, an escaped slave from the city, makes her way into the jungle where she finds the Lion with a thorn in his paw. Risking capture, Androcles decides to help the Lion and the two become fast friends. But when the evil Emperor imprisons the two companions, it’s the tiny Mouse who reminds them all that friendships aren’t easily broken.
“’Androcles and the Lion’ is a classic Aesop fable about friendship. However, this story has a modern twist. The mouse is a wannabe pop star. The lion is a refined king of the jungle who has grown lazy and the “slave,” Androcles, is a girl who speaks her mind,” said Director and Acting 2 Instructor, Liz Sykora. “This is a great family activity as it is a fairly short show. The music spans the decades from 1980s to current, including and epic friendship montage to ‘Me and Julio Down by The School Yard.’”
The story of “Androcles and the Lion” will appeal to children and adults alike and will take the audience on a journey of friendship like no other.
This production of “Androcles and the Lion” is presented by the FHS Acting 2 Class. Acting 2 is one of nine classes offered at FHS as part of the Theatre Program curriculum. Acting 2 students learn about various theories of acting in the classroom setting and then participate in a theatre production which allows the students to experiment with acting techniques and creating character.
“This class is very small, only six kids, so it has given them a lot more ownership over the design elements as well. It has given us an opportunity to develop the show and try out different ideas in an ‘experimental’ environment,” said Sykora. “We are also touring this production to the elementary schools. It has great messages about not judging people by their stereotypes, friendship, and that even though you are little you can do great things.”
The cast of “Androcles and the Lion” includes: Aubry Call, Stone Cook, Korbyn Rague, Alix Major, Kalea Quinby and Moriah Schutt.
Behind the scenes, Grace Burtsfield serves as tour manager, Keith Ort is on sound, Dalton Brubaker is on light board and the House Managers are Tanis Hadwin and Kirya Henderson.