Rose Theater to Present NARNIA, 12/6-29

A beautiful tale of adventure, sacrifice and redemption lies just beyond the wardrobe doors in The Rose Theater's production of Narnia, playing Dec. 6-29, 2013. The musical version of C.S. Lewis' classic children's novel, as interpreted by playwright Jules Tasca, lyricist Ted Drachman and composer Thomas Tierney, explores the epic battle between good and evil with memorable characters, spectacular settings and daring adventures.

"On one level, Narnia is a simple fairy tale, " says guest director Jesse Jou. "But like so many 'simple' fairy tales, it has some serious things to say about how we live in the world. The story tackles some pretty big questions about ethics, faith, the nature of violence, and ultimately, grace."

Narnia begins with the introduction of four children - Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter Pevensie. The siblings have been sent to the safety of the British countryside during the Germans' bombing blitz of London during World War II. While exploring their new surroundings, the children discover a magical world that lies within a mysterious wardrobe, a spellbound land known as Narnia where it is always winter, but never Christmas. Thrust into a foreign world filled with talking animals, dancing trees and fanciful spirits, the four children find themselves face-to-face with a formidable foe - the White Witch.

"To me, it is a story of four children who have been uprooted from their home during a time of war. They are dealing with extremely stressful circumstances. Being just children, they are handling the situation in a way that emotionally resonates with everyone," says Jou. "On top of that, they are pulled into a magical world ruled by a tyrant and they discover it is their destiny to topple this tyrant. It is really going from the frying pan into the fire for them."

The children soon uncover that they play a pivotal part in defeating the White Witch, a beautiful but cold-hearted sorceress who turns young Edmund against his siblings. Befriended by a pair of hospitable beavers, Peter, Susan and Lucy learn they are part of an ancient prophecy predicting the fall of the White Witch. With the help of their new friends, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, they turn to the great lion Aslan for assistance in rescuing their brother.

The rescue does not come easily. When the White Witch learns of the children's plan to save Edmund and attempts to thwart the rescue by executing the child, Aslan voluntarily sacrifices himself instead. A raging battle ensues where the White Witch's forces threaten to overwhelm the forces of good. Aslan miraculously returns to life, takes the White Witch by surprise and together with the Pevensie children, triumphantly reclaims Narnia. The land is restored, spring returns to Narnia, and the children are crowned kings and queens of Narnia.

"There is a heart of seriousness to the story that I want to honor," says Jou. "It is a show for children, but it is a show that tells children how to grow up. For children so small, they have to grow up quite a lot in the play. The journey teaches these children the strength, courage, and resiliency to become good, noble adults, especially when things are very hard."

Audiences can expect a performance that is both entertaining and visually engaging. Heavily influenced by the Art Nouveau movement and celebrated painter Charles Rennie Macintosh, scenic designer Edward Matthew Walter has given Narnia a strong visual signature that evokes the land's beauty and majesty with a unique Art Deco design. Coupled with lighting designer Kyle Toth's juxtaposition of light and shadow as a nod to the story's overall theme of good versus evil, the set provides the perfect framework for this classic tale.

"It is beautiful, but if you look closer, things might not be what they actually seem," said Toth. "This world has been under a spell by a witch who has locked us into a forever winter. I wanted to give the idea that everything in Narnia used to be something sparkly and pristine, but it has given way to decay under the White Witch's rule."

"All the elements of the show come together to create a densely textured experience that allows us to tell the story of adventure, loyalty, childhood and faith," said Jou. "In the end, we hope to create something that reverberates humanity back to us. It will be dark, a little scary, but in the end, really, really beautiful."

The show is recommended for families with children ages 6 to 13 and is two hours with an intermission.

Narnia runs from December 6-29, 2013, with performances on Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m., and on Sundays at 2 pm. There will be a special performance on Thursday, December 26 at 7 pm. The Saturday, December 21 performance will be interpreted for the hearing impaired.

Ticket reservations are required, with prices from $20-25. Discount ticket vouchers for main floor seating are available for $20 at all area Hy-Vee stores. Additional savings is available at Hy-Vee through a Hiland Dairy special purchase offer. See Hy-Vee customer service for details. For more information or to make reservations, call the Box Office at (402) 345-4849 or online at www.rosetheater.org.

Narnia is sponsored by Children's Hospital & Medical Center, Nebraska Furniture Mart, Hiland Dairy, Hy-Vee, WOWT, Q98-Five, the Nebraska Arts Council, and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

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