BPCT opens 10th season

Annie Janson, a recognized face on the Village's stage after three summers as an actress with the Bigfork Summer Playhouse, has taken a turn in the director's chair for the Bigfork Playhouse Children's Theatre's production of "Narnia," which opens its 10th-anniversary season.

In previous years and this year, Janson has worked with the BPCT kids through summer workshops. When the children's theatre's artistic director, Brach Thomson, approached her about directing the season opener, she was thrilled.

"I jumped on the opportunity," she said. "My experience with them (the children's theatre kids' in the past was great and a rewarding experience."

Janson has only recently begun dabbling with directing, beginning with a production in Savannah, Ga., last year. Janson is working on her master's of fine arts degree in performing arts at Savannah College of Art and Design. Chances like this one to gain more experience in directing help her build up the tools in her theater arsenal.

"It's something I'd definitely like to do after acting comes to a halt," she said. "I want to be in the profession my entire life."

Janson has had more extensive experience with choreographing shows, including "Smokey Joe's Cafe" at the playhouse last summer.

"Directing children is much different than adults," Janson said. "It's more fun. They're so freeing… You can ask them to walk around like a crazy owl and they'll do it. They're willing to be completely goofy and it's a blast."

That's fitting considering the show she's directing is a story filled with magic and creatures. "Narnia" is a musical based on "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," written by C.S. Lewis.

The story follows the four Pevensie children as they stumble into a magical land that has been taken over by the evil White Witch and in the end they help fight a battle to overthrow her with the help of the lion king Aslan.

"It's really about your imagination," Janson said of the show.

The Pevensie children will be played by Jonathan May (Peter), Natalie Christensen (Susan), Ben Habel (Edmund) and Olivia Martel (Lucy). It will star Colton Christensen as Aslan.

The show is family friendly and the witch, who will be played by Olivia Witt, is a different sort of evil than most.

"The great thing about the White Witch is that she's spicy sweet," Janson said. "She's evil, but can turn that sweetness on so much you want to believe what she says."

The beaver couple, which will be played by Jacob Sefcak and Wilson Vogt, provides the comic relief in the show.

The musical includes two battle sequences when nearly the entire cast of more than 40 kids is on stage. There was the challenge for Janson — making sure everyone is involved and into it.

"I'm just hoping there are no black eyes," Janson said.

The amount of animals and creatures in the show could have been a challenge, but Janson said the support and help of parents and community members with making those a reality through costumes made a huge difference.

The BPCT cast members also helped with painting and building the set.

"They're not just there to be on stage," Janson said. "They are involved in every part of production. Brach is really making them well-oiled machines. If they go on, they'll be 20 steps ahead of everyone else."

Janson had to return to Georgia at the end of last week to start her second year of graduate school, so she's unable to see the final result.

"It's going to be a treat for the audience," she said. "I'm heartbroken I can't stay to see it."

Thomson said he was impressed with how Janson pulled the show together in a short span of time.

"Annie did a great job," he said. "She's so good with the kids. It was a joy having her on the staff. She's very talented."

Janson doesn't know where she'll be after she graduates in May, but Bigfork isn't out of the question.

"I never say never about coming back to the playhouse," Janson said. "Bigfork is such an awesome place. The Thomsons have become like family to me. It's weird because I told my mom when I was getting on the plane that I don't feel like I'm coming home. I feel like I'm leaving home. It's one of those places I can't ever picture leaving for the last time."

The last piece of advice she has for her cast before opening night is to have fun.

"Once you open for the show, forget the scrip, forget the music and live it," Janson said. "Be in the moment. Have fun, smile and make Narnia come to life."

"Narnia" will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25 and 26 and Oct. 1 and 2 at the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts. A Sunday matinee will be held at 2 p.m. Oct. 3.

Special ticket prices run through today, Sept. 23, at 5:30 p.m at the box office and online. Any tickets purchased for any performance are only $5 apiece. Regular prices are $10 for adults, $8 senior, $7 students and $6 for children under the age of 10. For more information, call 837-4886 or visit www.bigforksummerplayhouse.com.