What Would You Ask Your Fairy Godmother For?

We asked the kids in our Musical Theater Summer Workshop production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella what their Fairy Godmother should bring them.

Tina: Win 1st Place in a book contest
Shannon: Unlimited super powers
Delaney: A horse and stable
Kaitlin: Power to travel into books & change them
Sophia: A time machine
Kyle: Million dollars, house w/ pool, hot tub, trampoline, and R.V.
Lauren: Infinite fat pigs, wishes, and money
Anja: For the whole world to be peaceful
Liz: Peace, love, happiness, & power of invisibility
Natalia: Million dollars and a mansion
Raina: Everything I’ve ever wanted
Elizabeth: Make summer longer
Mabel: A hug from Jack White
Lillian: Place for all homeless animals & people
Kayla: To see my grandmother again
Mae: More wishes
Olivia: Have a bunch of different personalities
Brooke: Invisibility, be super-fast, and shape-shift
Caroline: To get a dollar every step I take
Mia: To never have a cavity
Lola: A store where people can adopt dogs
Olivia: $1,000,000
Lauren: To time travel and have world peace
Meredith: Flying, invisibility, & super-fast powers
Lanie: Ability to control weather & an iPod Touch
Christina: To live in a mansion w/ a dog, a horse, and a google dollars.
Kate: Nintendo DS-I
Lily: To live w/ my family in Iselburo, Maine
Hannah: My very own pasta factory
Lucy: World peace
Emma: No school
Sarah: $1,000,000 every day & to never die
Katie Jane: Fly & have other super powers
Liana: Get the oil out of the Gulf & save the animals
Isabelle: iPod, laptop, iPad, desktop, & iPhone
Maya: Google dollars & nice homes for all pets
Cameron: A dog

I like the girl who wants "peace, love, happiness and the power of invisibility." (An awful lot of these kids want to be invisible. Just exactly what are they planning?) Which is your favorite?

Meet our Summer Workshop counselors

We're gearing up for another summer of the Musical Theater Summer Workshop, our 10th! Program manager Anya Plotkin is back with a great team of counselors. They'll start planning and training next week, and then on with the show on the 21st.

Counselor Will Allan's favorite things to do (besides theater) are play baseball, read, go to the movies, and play with his stellar rock band. He could not be more pumped to be a part of this year's workshop. In addition to his excitement about teaching, Will has an impressive theatrical background. His recent acting credits include A Separate Peace at Steppenwolf Theatre, The History Boys at TimeLine Theatre, The Hundred Dresses at Chicago Children's Theatre, and The Good Soul of Szechuan at Strawdog Theatre. Look for him this summer in Strawdog Theatre's remount of Red Noses. As an actor, he can't think of a more fun and awesome way to spend the summer than teaching kids and performing.

Dyan Flores was born and raised in the Chicago area, then moved out to study theater at New York University. While in New York, Dyan studied musical theater at Musical Theatre Works, the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writing Workshop, and NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. She also studied improv and sketch comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and The PIT. Since returning to Chicago, Dyan has acted and performed comedy at various theaters around the city. This summer she will be a contestant in Impress These Apes starting June 7th at ComedySportz.

Briana Bower will be a senior in theater at Northwestern University this fall. During her time at Northwestern, she has performed in several musicals, including A New Brain, The Wizard of Oz, and Side Show and has also enjoyed teaching at Haven Middle School , helping with their most recent fall musical Fiddler on the Roof. She hopes to pursue a career in theater for young audiences after graduation, and is thrilled to be teaching alongside and working with the Light Opera Works team this summer!

There are still spaces for kids ages 8 to 15 for Cinderella (June 21-26), The Pirates of Penzance (July 12-17) and Once Upon a Mattress (July 26-31). Check out the website or call Monday through Friday 10-5 for info, 847-869-6300.

Theater Trek-The Next Generation

Light Opera Works was proud to play host to a group of high school students at our recent preview performance of The Pirates of Penzance. Music teacher Jim Yarborough brought the cast of Naperville North’s production of the show (to be presented February 23-28). As Jim told us,

"It’s important to me to have the opportunity for students to be exposed to quality music and quality performances, and to work alongside professional performing artists. We've toured to both coasts and abroad, rather extensively for a public school music program, and we’ve been able to work in great venues and with great composers and conductors."

Here are some of the comments from the students about Light Opera Works’ The Pirates of Penzance:

Seeing the show a second time helped me see all of the hard work these actors and crew members and musicians have put into this. It was hilarious! I appreciated the music and the stage placement even more than before. However, even though other students may not have the chance to see the final performance, it always helps to see an example of what to aspire to. How music is played or how a character is portrayed (I seriously did not mean to make that rhyme!), it makes a great difference to have a visual of where to start. I thought it was nothing but beneficial for us to see such a talented group of people show us how it's done! I hope that the Light Opera Works will continue to do this for future high school thespians.
-Katie, cellist (who also came back and watched an actual performance)

(Katie also wondered why the orchestra members left precipitously right after the performance instead of hanging around to answer questions. We had to douse this enthusiastic young musician with a dose of cold water—the musicians are paid up to the last note; if we keep them around we have to pay them overtime! Sorry Katie, hope this doesn’t disillision you too much!)

I really enjoyed this performance of Pirates of Penzance. Seeing it performed really started my learning in the right direction. It helped me find exactly what I need to do with my character. Thank you so much for inviting us, and I hope we can come see another magnificent performance sometime soon.
-Peter, “Pirate King”

Thank you all so very much for allowing us to witness something so spectacular. I studied everything very carefully, and the show really put into perspective what I need to do to prepare for our production. The cast was phenomenal, everyone really clicked with their character, the voices were amazing, and I could definitely tell that everyone worked hard on their roles. All in all, the show is a complete success and really enjoyable!-
-Devontae, “Frederic”

It was a really great experience to see the final rehearsal of Pirates. It gave me a much better idea of what exactly we should be doing when we put on our production and it gave me a good feel of what the show should be like. I was able to watch my character and take note of what the actress from Light Opera Works did that I liked and didn't like. Seeing the rehearsal was extremely helpful for me in fully understanding where to go now, how to develop my character, and how to work with the rest of the people and things on stage.
-Rabeya, “Isabel”

Thank you, Light Opera Works, for letting the NNHS cast to come view your final dress rehearsal of Pirates of Penzance. Not only was the production extremely well done and entertaining, but it helped me start to develop different ideas of how to portray my specific character (Edith). I think what makes this show a success is the comedic timing and emphasis at the correct moments, especially when it comes to the supporting roles, such as Edith and other chorus members. Through seeing your show, I see where all the characters fit in within the spectrum of eacb scene, and the various directions a character can be taken!
-Melanie, “Edith”

If you have a high school group who would like to see an upcoming show, contact box office manager Christopher Riley during box office hours, (weekdays 10-5), 847-869-6300.