Nestled in the heart of bustling Granville Island, a group of bold teenagers are set to tackle William Shakespeare.
Carousel Theatre for Young People's Teen Shakespeare Program will be presenting Love's Labour's Lost, opening July 25 - and four New West teens are on stage for the production.
This version of the Bard's witty comedy, full of wordplay and wayward scholars, comes with a twist - it takes place amidst the peace and love era of the 1960s.
This year is the 24th season for the highly successful Teen Shakespeare Program. Its mission: to allow teenage performers a chance to enhance and develop their acting abilities. Ranging in age from 13 to 18, these budding actors are given a unique opportunity.
Faye Campbell, marketing and outreach coordinator for Carousel Theatre, said the Teen Shakespeare Program provides not only training and acting experience, but also the self-confidence for these teenagers to perform in public. The production of Love's Labour's Lost is the final act of a busy six-week training program in classical theatre.
Four teens from New Westminster - all of whom have worked with the Teen Shakespeare Program before - are ready to make their mark as actors in the show.
Isaac McAndless-Davis and Sofia Newman lead the cast as Ferdinand, King of Navarre, and Don Adriano de Armado respectively.
Emily Armitage (playing Katherine) and Daisy Hulme (playing Nathania) join their New West colleagues.
When asked about the Teen Shakespeare Program, all four cast members praised this year's workshop.
A common challenge for most of the cast has been the dialogue. As with any Shakespeare play, the language is always a hurdle - but add on playing a different gender, that is another matter.
Newman, who plays a male character, points out: "Men and women carry themselves in different ways and speak in different ways."
Compounding this is the fact that her character is Spanish as well.
Ever relevant, Shakespeare has the cast members thinking of the bigger issues in their own lives - Armitage notes that the play speaks to the meaning of love and the things people will do for it.
The key to success for the Teen Shakespeare Program has been how the actors are treated. Campbell states that from rehearsals to the final curtain call, each teen is treated like any professional actor working on stage today.
In addition, the teenagers learn important voice, movement and text analysis. And they learn it from the pros. Professional actors work with the youth, giving them a very real experience in front of and behind the curtain.
This year, actor, director and veteran instructor Mike Stack is the man at the helm of Love's Labour's Lost. He brings knowledge and experience to the participants, having worked in stage performances both in Canada and internationally.
Love's Labour's Lost opens July 25 at 7:30 p.m., and runs until Aug. 9 at the Performance Works Outdoor Stage on Granville Island.
The play is free, but seating is limited. Reservations can be made for $5 at 604-685-6217.
