Shevchenko pride, magic and sewing create The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

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This article was published 02/05/2024 (425 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Aslan made his own cape for this Thursday and Friday’s production of the C.S. Lewis classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at Shevchenko School.

The 7 p.m. shows are only possible because of the extra efforts made by the Vita school students and their intrepid director Aaron Klassen, who also serves as vice principal, art and ICT teacher.

Grades 6 to 12 students not only star on stage, but are also behind stage and at the soundboard. Art students also created the backdrop.

Klassen explained that being a smaller school, all the effort put in over the last three months has been extracurricular. And the students are all-in.

“It’s nice that we have this production. Our school may not have a lot of things, but it definitely has effort,” said Makenna Thiessen, who stars as Lucy.

“Even with the low budget, we can still make it good,” stressed the production’s unicorn Jasmine Sawatzky.

Aslan, aka Miguel Bouchard, explained how the students are invested in this.

“This cape, I had to make,” he said, lifting the fur-trimmed garb on his back.

“I went to MCC in Steinbach. I bought a red tablecloth, and then I bought this knitted sweater with the fur. And then my mom helped me and we sewed it.”

His brother also made the chainmail being used. Klassen made the shield.

There were other challenges to overcome. An illness hit the school, including cast, production and the director himself, forcing the cancellation of a big practice the Saturday before.

But while everyone was recovering physically, they were feeling very good about the show with final rehearsal set for Thursday morning.

“We had a practice [Monday] and they nailed it,” said Klassen.

The actors are delving into all the roles.

“I have to be the leader; I have to be the king so I have to somehow govern all of the animals in a respectful way. I can’t be like the witch; I can’t be ordering people around. I have to be just and generous,” said Bouchard.

“And your voice is very majestic, I can tell you that right now. He’s just so majestic on a mic,” chimed in Thiessen.

“He’s very smooth at talking,” agreed Sawatzky.

“That’s good,” smiled Bouchard at hearing the compliments.

And it is not just the main characters of the children, Aslan and the witch that can shine.

“They do help out the stars and help them shine more,” said Sawatzky.

The actors spoke of their director as he was working up a sweat while hanging up the backdrop, helping the production crew, and preparing the cast for a run-through.

“He’s great. I’d put two thumbs up but I wrapped mine up,” said an injured Thiessen.

They felt like Klassen might be even doing too much, and hoped for next time even more could help the educator who keeps making these shows possible every year.