LBCC actors tumble for you in Performing Arts Department's kinetic interpretation of 'Puss In Boots'

By Heather Crabtree/Photos by Mark Ylen

The Entertainer

Linn-Benton Community College's "Puss In Boots" has enough movement and excitement to draw the audience in and keep its attention.

This year's children's production from the Performing Arts Department utilizes participation techniques that are being used more and more in children's theater, said Jane Donovan, the play's director.

During auditions last fall, actors were asked what special skills they had, Donovan said, because she wanted the play to be physical, including movement and audience interaction.

Several of the cast members know how to tumble and Tom, played by Michael Hoppe, could already walk on his hands, Donovan said.

Barbara Platt incorporated the cast's talents in fight and dance scenes that she choreographed.

She also choreographed the constant movements of Puss, played by Eric Nepom. In almost all of his scenes, Nepom is doing some kind of movement, heal kicks and tumbling.

Nepom did acrobatics as a child and was involved with athletics growing up. However, he still found the activity physically demanding.

"It's a lot of work and exceptionally tiring," Nepom said. "I was just kind of thrown into it, but because it works, I keep doing it. In the end, you work on it enough, your body gets use to it and you're able to do it two times a day for the shows."

Donovan also incorporated a 17th-century style dance at the end of the play, which includes the entire cast.

The dance was a challenge for cast members because they had to learn the choreography for it. Before rehearsals and performances, the cast practices the dance to warm up for the play, Donovan said.

The new lighting system, which was part of the renovation that was completed last November, enabled Donovan to use several entrances to the theater and allow the actors to walk through the aisles and even perform parts of scenes within inches of the audience.

The interaction with the audience isn't just through movement, but is also verbal. Donovan incorporated audience interaction by have the audience say, "In Boots," when Puss says his name. Donovan plans to continue this element in the public performances because it has worked well to include the audience.

Donovan also expanded several elements of the script by including additional poetry that Puss says. The original script only had several rhymes and poetry. The additions, written by Jane White, were choreographed as well to provide additional movement and add patterning.

"Patterning is important in children's shows," said Nepom, who has been involved in the children's productions for the last three years and acting since age 4. "The poems helped not only with the patterning but also with the physical because you have to move with each poem."

Fast facts

What: "Puss In Boots" by Charles Perrault, presented by the Linn-Benton Community College Performing Arts Department.

When: Sunday, Feb. 20 and Sunday, Feb. 27.

Where: Russell Trip Performance Theater, formerly Takena Theater, on the LBCC campus, 6500 Pacific Blvd. S.W.

Admission: Adults, $7, children under 18, $4. Tickets available at the LBCC theater box office, 8 a.m to noon and 1 to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, or at the door beginning at 1 p.m. Tickets are also available at Sid Stevens Jewelers in Albany and Gracewinds Music in Corvallis. Credit cards accepted at the box office only. For more information, call 917-4531.