PREVIEW: ENCHANTMENT THEATRE DEBUTS IN HAMILTON…
Kathleen Welch (image one), Darcy Welch (image two) and the logo for Hamilton’s newest kid-centric theatre company Enchantment Theatre (image three)
The newly founded Enchantment Theatre company kicks off the March Break with their theatrical debut about three siblings who may have questionable building techniques but set aside their differences to fight the big bad wolf in this child-friendly, puppetry filled version of The Three Little Pigs…
Founders Kathleen and Darcy Welch are no strangers to creating fascinating productions in a wide range of genres. Together, they have founded Enchantment Theatre and I had the pleasure of a virtual interview with them to discuss how they started, what their plans are for the company, how to get involved and, of course, their favourite fairy tales.
What inspired you and Darcy to found Enchantment Theatre?
KW: Darcy and I have both worked with children for years, running arts programs and performing for them. With Enchantment Theatre, we hoped to create fun and interactive theatre that can appeal to kids and parents alike. Enchantment Theatre is about mixing the old and the new. We take old stories that everyone is familiar with and then we infuse them with new ideas and philosophies. We write new music for our shows, while also incorporating old familiar folk songs.
Now that Darcy and I are both living in Hamilton, we saw it as the perfect opportunity to base our company here and put down some roots. Hamilton already has such a vibrant arts scene and tons of young families. We wanted to establish an affordable theatre based in Hamilton where kids can have fun and really feel involved in the performances.
Your first production is the Three Little Pigs. What elements of artistic expression will you be using to tell this tale and how will these choices speak to younger audience members?
KW: Our version of The Three Little Pigs is full of music, dance, and audience participation! The kids will get to come up on stage, pretend to be farm animals, learn dance moves, and play instruments. Especially with very young children, we think it's so important to keep things interactive so they can really feel like they're a part of the story and affecting the outcome. The fourth wall doesn't really exist in our play and we ask the audience questions and chat to them.
We also utilize puppetry and live instrumentation to help tell our story. We think it's helpful for children and parents alike to be able to see how the art is created. We have a musician on stage with us creating sound effects with various instruments, so the kids can see where the music comes from.
Why do fairy tales still resonate so much with audiences of all ages?
KW: I think fairy tales continue to resonate because there is something so universal about them. Both because the stories are so well known, and also because they touch on themes and ideas that everyone experiences. Themes like friendship, loyalty, fear, and family. Fairy tales also lend themselves really well to adaptations because of this. There's a sense of familiarity even when you change things up to make them more modern or to include new characters or ideas!
What are your three favourite fairy tales and why? Do you see the company producing them in the future?
KW: That's difficult. Off the top of my head, I would say Little Red Riding Hood, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, and Rumplestiltskin. Red Riding Hood is a classic for a reason. I think it is a classic cautionary tale and a wonderful metaphor for growing up and venturing into the unknown. Darcy and I have talked about adapting it in the future, so hopefully we'll write one soon!
For Steadfast Tin Soldier, I think it would probably be too sad to adapt into a fun children's musical, but I find it a beautiful story of love and loyalty. Rumplestiltskin is just fun and he is a fabulous villain. Maybe we'll adapt it at some point, but probably not for a while. Our next play is going to be Darcy's adaptation of Peter Pan, which is not a fairy tale technically, but is also a favourite classic story of mine!
If someone was interested in having their children join Enchantment Theatre classes, what would they need to do to apply?
KW: We are planning on running drama classes in April and May at The Staircase. Parents will be able to sign up their kids through our website enchantmenttheatre.ca. At the moment we are also partnering with Rivers & Meadows (on Ottawa St.), where Darcy runs music classes. Kids can be registered through their website. Parents can feel free to email us or message us on Instagram if they have questions!
A huge thanks to Kathleen and Darcy on delving into their company’s debut and how enchanting theatre can be. These classic tales are timeless and it’s exciting to hear that two such brilliant theatre makers are in Hamilton to make these stories come to life in new, engaging ways for audiences of all ages. So, don’t huff and puff. Whether your home be made of straw, wood or brick, be sure to bring the family to check out The Three Little Pigs, coming March 13 and 15th ONLY at The Staircase Theatre (Elaine Mae Theatre Space).
