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48 | March 15, 2018 | The winnetka Current life & arts winnetkacurrent.com Winnetka boy the star of Glenview ‘Aladdin’ musical Sarah Haider Freelance Reporter North Shore Dance & Theater brought a whole new world to the North Shore. The Glenview theater company invited the community to their season-ending production of Disney’s “Aladdin Kids” during four performances March 9-11 at Glenview United Methodist Church. The company decided to produce the Disney classic after the professional version showed at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago last year, according to Alisha Potter, the company’s founder. Since many of her students attended the production, she wanted to give the students a chance to experience the magic firsthand and delve deeper into the musical’s storyline. “We love that [the show] is the classic good triumphs [over evil],” Potter said. “The story also shows it doesn’t matter where you come from, you still can follow your dreams and make it. It’s kind of the American dream, but in Agrabah, because Aladdin is a street rat and he ends up rising up to marry the princess.” The show featured 60 students from Winnetka, Glenview, Wilmette, Des Plaines and Skokie separated into two casts. The theater company allows children from all surrounding areas with a range of experiences to act in the production, ensuring equal opportunity to gain experiences in the performing arts. “We live in a diverse community,” Potter said. “If you look at our surrounding communities, there is a diversity and I think it’s good for children to work with people, not just in their school or in their neighborhood, but to expand their horizons because that’s how the world is. We can take kids from all walks of life and all kinds of experiences.” Actor Jack Porter has participated in prior productions in his hometown of Winnetka, but decided to audition for North Shore Dance & Theater company for the first time this year. Porter states he has loved the experience of being on stage with his new friends, but especially loved playing the role of Aladdin. “[Aladdin] is a street rat but he has a big heart,” Porter said. “He wants the princess but he’s not allowed to be with her because where he was born and his origin, so I think it’s really important to be Aladdin to say, ‘Hey, that doesn’t matter. What matters is in the inside.’” Porter, along with the rest of the cast and crew, began rehearsing for the play in the beginning of January. This involved dozens of hours of singing, dancing and acting rehearsals for the child actors, and even more time behind the scenes for staff and volunteers creating costumes, building backgrounds and synthesizing the show’s technical aspects. “I think it would be fun to be in the audience’s chair to look at the months of hard work come together before your eyes,” Porter said. “You have to practice a lot, even at home, and you get to express yourself in many ways that you may not have thought of. If you get a role, the people who cast put you in a role that they know fits you best, so I think it’s a great mental workout to try to pretend to be someone you’re not.” For Glenview resident Jack Porter (center), of Winnetka, as Aladdin in Glenview’s North Shore Dance & Theater company’s Disney’s “Aladdin Kids” performances March 9-11 at Glenview United Methodist Church. PHOTOS BY SARAH HAIDER/22ND CENTURY MEDIA Hope Murray, the effort she put into her role as the narrator was worth it, allowing her to make new friends from the surrounding area and learn new talents throughout the process. “I basically like all of the props and how they put so much work into everything,” she said. “A bunch of my friends are here and we all learn just don’t be nervous and just be yourself.” Although Potter worked to make sure each student enjoyed their part in the production, the dedication and passion poured into the process by the staff and volunteers really pays off when the students are able to carry on the passion for theater, as well as the lessons they’ve been taught, into every aspect of their later life. “We want to be able pass Actresses (left to right) Ella Sorkin, of Skokie, Maleah Bux, of Glenview, and Layla Ayaleanos, of Glenview. these skills along because they’ll take these skills outside of the performance,” Potter said. “They are great presentations skills for when you have to present during classes in high school. My son always tells me, ‘I’m glad you made me do these because now to get up and give a speech is nothing where the other kids are nervous.’ ... We feel it’s just an important process for them to experience which they can carry over into the other parts of their lives, and it’s really nice to be part of this community that supports it.” For information about auditions for next season’s “Beauty and the Beast,” or the upcoming Broadwaybound summer programs, visit northshoredanceandtheater.com.
winnetkacurrent.com life & arts the winnetka current | March 15, 2018 | 49 Winnetka art show features natural wonders SUBMITTED BY ZIA GALLERY From now through April 7, ZIA Gallery’s newest exhibition, “The Floral Show (Not What You Expect),” brings artists together to celebrate the wonder of the natural world. The exhibition follows “The Elephant in the Room,” which centered on elephants in art. Now, the gallery looks toward spring with uplifting color and invention derived from inspiration of flowering plants in art. The exhibition includes artwork by guest artist Phil Ponce (host of WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight”), who takes inspiration from the traditional Mexican folk art technique of papel picado. To create his interconnected labyrinths of nature, Winnetka’s ZIA Gallery features a new art show surrounding various floral subjects from now through April 7. PHOTO SUBMITTED Ponce replaces tissue paper with durable black tyvek and represents insects native to Illinois — an ecosystem of plants and insects. Another artist featured includes Kevin Veara, with his visual ecosystem combining unusually patterned birds, flowers and insects in striking scale and color combinations. For more information about ZIA Gallery, 548 Chestnut Court, Winnetka, visit ziagallery.net. FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2018 HyattRegency Chicago 151E.Upper Wacker Dr. Chicago,IL60601 music From Page 45 Richard Austin (left), of Evanston and Clayton Durning, of Winnetka, as Harold Hill, in a scene. MEGAN BERNARD/22ND CENTURY MEDIA resident Morgan Small, a junior who played Marian Paroo. “I love this production and the cast. This role of mine is a dream come true.” Elementary students, like Northbrook’s Daniel Becker and Wilmette’s Jameson Weyhrich, enjoyed the opportunity to act on stage with older students. “This is my first big play so I am excited,” said Becker, a sixth-grader who played Winthrop Paroo. “I have a solo so I’m on stage all by myself, too.” “It’s not hard for me to get into my character because he is a lot like me,” said Weyhrich, an eighthgrader who played Tommy Djilas. “He is easily influenced by who he likes and his friends. I even get to light something on fire on stage, which is my favorite part.” In all, Macholl’s favorite part of the production was “how excited the students get for both ‘The Wells Fargo Wagon’ and ‘Shipoopi’ numbers.” “The Music Man” was presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International. All authorized performance materials were also supplied by MTI. For more information about performing arts at NSCDS, visit nscds.org. HONORING Jill Frank EXECUTIVE PRODUCER EPSILONAGENCY Please joinincelebrating the 10th Annual Womenonthe Move Luncheon.Atthispremier event, Chicago communityand business leaders will come togethertocelebrate excellence, achievement andgenerosity, andtoraise fundsand awarenesstohelpcreatea worldfreeofmultiple sclerosis. Forinformation andsupport opportunities contact: TarynPlacko 312-423-1181 or taryn.placko@nmss.org womenonthemovechicago.org HONORARYCHAIR Kimberly Eberl CEO&FOUNDER MOTION
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