The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
spring college production was a hit, patrons say
Naomi Ingram
Issue date: 4/16/09 Section: Arts and Entertainment
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Adapted from Joseph Robinette's screenplay, Narnia came to Clearwater Christian College in a delightful depiction of C. S. Lewis' classic allegory. From Tumnus' umbrella to the White Witch's wand and Aslan's roar, audience members of every age were treated to a night in Narnia that they will not soon forget.
While much of the spring play production involved the hard work of the cast and director as they blocked the scenes and rehearsed their lines, a great deal of behind-the-scenes work also went on to create the sets, costuming, and make-up, which brought "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" to life.
Because the play was staged in-the-round, this production presented a unique challenge to those designing the sets. Props could not be changed as quickly or as frequently as on the regular stage, requiring a set that could be used in multiple scenes, and leaving the audience with a bit more to imagine.
Anni Wilson assisted with the creation of the staging: "I am super-excited to have taken part and learned something new; with this job, I still got to see the show!"
Others were less occupied until the actual performances, but still were essential. Aaron Hanbury ran the fog machine, which may only have involved "flipping a switch," but the audience certainly benefited from the mood and atmosphere it created during pivotal scenes throughout the performance.
Make-up was also an incredibly important aspect of this play since many of the LWW characters were animals, requiring time-consuming and detailed work to create a realistic work of art on each cast member's face. Make-up crew artist Tiffanny Deose shared the plan to make these characters extremely life-like: "It was a whole new experience. We tried to get the make-up to resemble as closely as possible what each of these characters would look like in reality."
In the technical side of the production, sound and lighting were vital to the audience's experience of Narnia. Laura Elitz dressed in the customary black and wore a headset as she assisted in the technical booth in each performance: "I was really excited to be able to work tech for the play. I had a lot of fun doing behind-the-scenes work, and loved being a part of this production."
The teamwork of the cast and crew of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" resulted in an enjoyable and rewarding CCC production.