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Mermaid_LCT
LCT's production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, 2016, photo by Mark Mahan
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LCT's production of Puss in Boots, 2016, photo by Sally Horowitz
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LCT's production of Duck for President, 2016, photo by Sally Horowitz
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LCT's production of Zombie in Love, 2015, photo by Sally Horowitz
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LCT's production of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," 2015, photo by Sally Horowitz
With many weekends in Lexington boasting a handful of quality theater productions for a variety of tastes, it is an exciting time for live theatre in Lexington. Pre-dating many of the newer theatre groups to emerge in recent years is the long-standing Lexington Children’s Theatre, which continues to thrive in its seventh decade of existence – in fact, one could argue that the success of great theatre in Central Kentucky is largely dependent on the educational outreach of LCT, which has been exposing and developing talent and passion for the dramatic arts in young Kentuckians since 1938.
The organization is housed at 418 West Short Street, where it holds performances throughout the year as well as classes, workshops and camps for children, 4 years old and older. This month, the Lexington Children’s Theatre will kick off its second annual Learning Stage Series with a stage adaptation of “Frankenstein.”
Just one of LCT’s many ongoing projects, the series is a culmination of the educational, professional and performance opportunities at LCT.
“The Learning Stage Series came about because we wanted to give more performance opportunities for young people and tie together all of the class work we do,” said Jeremy Kisling, LCT’s associate artistic director.
The Learning Stage Series goes hand-in-hand with the mission of developing young artists, providing another outlet for young actors to perform, as well as providing the real-world experience of producing a show for the interns of LCT. From costume and lighting design to choreography and directing, interns lead the Learning Stage Series productions. The interns travel from across the United States to spend a season with LCT, working on a variety of roles.
“We have all of these young professionals who come to us from college who haven’t had the chance to design or do all of these artistic things outside of an academic setting,” Kisling said. “With ‘Frankenstein,’ everybody but myself is an intern.”
One of the resident interns currently working at Lexington Children’s Theatre is Danny MacLaughlin, who is designing the lighting for the upcoming production of “Frankenstien.” Originally from Lexington, MacLaughlin earned a Master’s in technical theater from Ohio University and worked on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line before his internship. He plans to make the move to New York and get a job as either a resident master electrician, or to work in a prop shop for film or television.
About designing the lighting for Frankenstein, MacLaughlin noted that the production will be be a challenge, because the crew will be trying to mimic the feel of an old black-and-white film.
“In order to achieve this effect, there has to be a great deal of coordination between the different departments to ensure that the B&W scheme is followed,” he said. “The effect is less a lighting effect, than a paint and costume effect.”
One of the primary missions of Lexington Children’s Theatre is to expose children to the creativity and play of acting and to develop young artists over time – learning about the world of theatre, and how to use one’s body and voice to become a character. Children begin classes at LCT as young as age 4, and are eligible to be in performances by age 9, Kisling explained. The peak of a young actor’s development occurs through an LCT component referred to as “company,” which is geared toward those who have a strong and focused interest in theatre.
“Company is for those who say ‘this is for me,’” said Kisling. The audition-only group for middle and high schoolers meets every Tuesday night, with middle schoolers focusing on acting and high school focusing on what theatre is and the different ways it can be used, Kisling explained.
The upcoming “Frankenstein” production is Kisling’s own adaptation of the Mary Shelley classic, and will feature 17 young actors aged 9 to 18, at the LCT learning stage.
“What we’re exploring in this version of Frankenstein is really what is the responsibility of Victor? Victor, who creates this creature, brings it to life, and then leaves it on its own, runs away from it,” Kisling explained. “What is the responsibility when you create something?”
Frankenstein performances begin October 23 and run through November 2.
Sunday, Oct. 23 at 2:00PM
Saturday, Oct. 29 at 2:00PM and 7:00PM
Sunday, Oct. 30 at 2:00 PM
School Matinees:
Oct. 25-28 at 10:00AM and 11:45AM
Nov. 1-2 at 10:00AM and 11:45AM