The Magik Theatre is bringing children’s classic "Jack and the Beanstalk" to the stage and is shaking things up by changing the location, and the time, of the performance.
"Magik always has a unique sort of take on these great, classic stories," said Director John Stillwaggon, who also plays the lead role of Jack.
"It’s very true to the original story, it has the same spirit as the original, but it has a few sort of new elements to it."
Stillwaggon said that this version of "Jack and Beanstalk" has actors occasionally stepping out of character, tearing down that imaginary wall between the actors and their young audience.
"It’s a little bit of us stepping down off the high horse of us telling the story and no, you’re part of it. Come join us," he said.
With the Beanstalk being such a big part of the production, I had to ask Stillwaggon how they do the beanstalk on the stage.
"How do we do the bean? It’s magic, don’t you know? It’s beans!" he said.
"Jack and Beanstalk" is part of a new initiative for the Magik, which is held at a different venue than the main Magik location.
"It’s a part of our Saturday morning series. It’s a new series that we’ve created at the Instituto," said the Magik's Marketing Director Aimee Stead.
She’s talking about the the Instituto Cultural de Mexico, the Hemisfair neighbor where the Magik is staging the production.
"It’s an intimate 180-seat theater that allows the actors to get much closer, and engage more with the audience" Stead said. "So this is something new that we’re trying; we know a lot of families want to get out the door a little earlier on Saturdays."
The show runs at 10:30 Saturday mornings from January 18-March 15.
- For more information visit: www.magiktheatre.org
