We all have that friend who flits about from one thing to the next, not realizing just how much their scatter-brained, sometimes borderline chaotic, behavior can affect others.
Or maybe you’re that friend.
In “The Wind in the Willows,” it’s Mr. Toad. He is passionate about many things, but only briefly, and doesn’t seem to realize that these obsessions often impact others because of his recklessness.
He’s lucky then to have friends in Mole and Rat, who, though they recognize the chaos he always leaves in his wake, also realize he means no harm and set out to help him stay focused.
“The Wind in the Willows” opens Friday and runs through July 27 at Spokane Civic Theatre.
The choice to produce this show as a Civic Education Production was an intentional one for Civic Executive Director Jake Schaefer.
“I wanted us to do something that was about friendship,” he said. “I wanted Civic to present something this summer that was positive, that had a real plot. Yes, of course, great music is always a quest, but it was more like what do we want to say this summer? We want to present Civic Education productions. That was the goal. So through that lens, what can we offer?”
Civic is producing the 2016 version of the musical, which features a book by Julian Fellowes and music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. It’s based on the novel of the same name by Kenneth Grahame.
The show begins with Mole (Jameson Elton), who has lost his patience with spring cleaning, leaving his home and heading for the river where he meets Rat (Noah Graybeal), who spends all his time on the water. Rat takes Mole for a ride and shares his picnic, and the two become fast friends.
Mrs. Otter (Wren Rhodes) crashes the party searching for her daughter Portia (Eden Day), who is likely looking for something to eat. Rat and Mrs. Otter then tell Mole about the creatures who call the Wild Wood home, including the wise Badger (William Bright).
It’s then that Mr. Toad (Jack Rodewald), a kind but aimless fellow, passes by with his latest obsession, a speedboat.
Later, now summertime, Mr. Toad invites Mole and Rat to Toad Hall, where Mr. Toad is now obsessed with his horse-drawn caravan. Rat is reluctant to travel with Mr. Toad, but Mole convinces him to take a ride. A motor car scares Mr. Toad’s horse while the group is parked on the side of the road, bringing Mr. Toad’s next infatuation into his life.
Behind the wheel, Mr. Toad terrorizes his neighbors, especially a family of hedgehogs, before crashing. As autumn draws near, Rat and Mole are determined to help Mr. Toad. Mole suggests they visit Badger. Though he initially refuses, Rat eventually joins his friend.
As Mole and Rat talk to Badger, Chief Weasel (Lilah Gail) tells their gang of Wild Wooders about a plan to take over Toad Hall so they can live the good life. They then decide to kidnap Portia, who is again wandering for food.
Mole, Rat and Badger must then help not only Mr. Toad but also Portia, while saving Toad Hall at the same time.
The cast also features Cael Birch, Magnolia Burke, Oliver Donahoe, Marcus Erlinso, Reuben Erlinso, Maren Forsnes, Luisenrrique Hernandez, Ella Kitchens, Katie Leo, Jaidan Lester, Myranda Lloyd, Lea McGlothlen, Connie Mack Overstreet, Jacob Sampson, Jasmine Speer, Sanaa Terrells and Isabelle Williams.
The show is directed by Schaefer, music directed by Cynthia Kirkman Romoff and choreographed by Bonni Dichone.
No matter the adaptation, Schaefer said he’s always seen two stories in “The Wind in the Willows”: Toad’s obsessions and the community’s reaction to them. Those two stories give audiences an opportunity to “explore human emotion.”
“We’ve got fear, Toad’s obsessions, changing seasons, all of these reasons that we all equate new beginnings with, and so the community continually forgiving Toad, I don’t even know if they know they are. They’re for him through and through, because that’s how they are. They take care of each other whether they’re toads or moles or hares.”
To express the animal characters, each actor will have an accessory that calls back to their character, like furry gloves or animal ears. Character development work each performer has done, Schaefer said, will fill in the rest of the blanks.
Furthering the illusion that we’re watching woodland creatures in their natural habitats over the course of a year, production and strategy director Peter Rossing has created a set that can expand or retract based on the setting.
“The space either evolves or devolves,” Schaefer said. “Sometimes we see Toad Hall exterior represented by windows and a door frame. Other times we see the unit set opened up and there’s trees in different places.”
Rossing also had a few tricks up his sleeve when it came to designing Mr. Toad’s obsessions, including the speedboat, horse-drawn caravan and car.
Lighting and set pieces the actors bring on and take off stage help illustrate the changing of the seasons.
Civic Education Productions, no less than a “standard” production, focus on development in a deeper way. As a community theater, every directorial team should be looking at how their show can provide opportunities for growth for cast and crew, Schaefer said. Education Productions take that a step further with workshops during rehearsals that dive deep into various aspects of the show.
For “The Wind in the Willows,” that meant music director Kirkman Romoff taught actors not just the music from the show but also how to read music and sing in an ensemble. Choreographer Dichone helped performers with the shapes of their bodies in each step and explained the objective of each move.
Director, actor and consent-forward artist Dawn Taylor Reinhardt also spent time with the cast working on physical movement and scene study.
Schaefer said it’s a lot of responsibility to add such a major scholastic element to an already busy rehearsal schedule, but it’s worth it if it means the cast and crew can walk away with more confidence in their skill set, skills they can apply to future productions.
And Schaefer hopes there are many, many future productions for the young performers in “The Wind in the Willows” and for members of the Spokane community.
“That is Civic’s mission, to foster an enduring love for live theater in every community member,” Schaefer said. “That’s not saying we are expecting everyone in Spokane to like theater, to come to theater. That’s not the concept. The idea is that everyone has an understanding that it’s powerful and vital.”
If You Go
‘The Wind in the Willows’
When: Friday through July 27. 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays and July 26.
Where: Spokane Civic Theatre, 1020 N. Howard St.
Cost: $20/students; $35/adults. Tickets available through spokanecivictheatre.com.
Read the full article here
Article by Azaria Podplesky
Photos by Ryan Wasson