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wilmettebeacon.com LIFE & ARTS
the wilmette beacon | April 26, 2018 | 31
‘The Aristocats Kids’ puts young actors in spotlight on stage
Alexa Burnell
Freelance Reporter
The mini division of the
Wilmette Children’s Theatre
presented Disney’s
“The Aristrocats Kids,”
April 20-29 at the Community
Recreation Center,
taking the audience on a
fun and wild journey told
by a fabulous cast of feline
friends.
The mini division is
performed by actors in
grades 1-3, focusing on
fun while learning valuable
performance skills.
Daniel Rachelson, 9,
of Glenview, played the
smooth talking, streetsavvy
cat, Thomas
O’Malley, whose whole
world is turned around
when he meets the elegant
Duchess the cat and her
three children, Toulouse,
Marie and Berlioz. The
mother cat and her brood
are duped and lead astray
by their butler, Roquefort,
but O’Malley saves
the day by lending them
a helping paw. Rachelson
said playing O’Malley
was very empowering.
“I’ve been performing
with [Wendy Avon] since
I was just five and I was
really shy and scared at
first,” he said, “But, once
I took [Wendy’s] Little
Improv classes, all that
changed. I became more
confident, just like Thomas
O’Malley, and I am
now no longer nervous
on stage. I really liked my
character because he is so
confident and comfortable
with who he is.”
Charlotte Wenzke, of
Wilmette, who played
Duchess, explained how
Avon’s acting techniques,
helped her become a better
actress.
“I just love being on
stage and being in the
spotlight,” Wenzke said.
Actors (left to right) Charlotte Wenzke, of Wilmette,
Yianni Dimoutsikos, of Skokie, and Evan LeeMaster, of
Wilmette, perform.
“I also love that through
each production, I learn
something new. Ms. Avon
gave me a trick, about
looking up at a clock on
the wall of the auditorium,
which helped me to look
past the audience, project
my voice and speak out
across the stage. I even
shared that tip with some
of my friends.”
Cate Martin, a secondgrade
student at Central
Elementary School
in Wilmette, played the
Duchess’s daughter, Marie,
learning how important
it is to try, try again.
“I have been in a few
shows now and I just love
being on stage. When I
auditioned for “The Aristocats,”
I told my mom, ‘I
just love acting and hope
I get a part.’” Well, I got
a great role and I believe
it is because I’ve been
working so hard and practicing
all the tips that Ms.
Avon teaches us, like how
important it is to stay focused
and stay in character.”
Wilmette’s Evan Lee-
Master played Toulouse,
another one of the Duchesses
children. This was
one of his first acting experiences
but won’t be his
last because of the good
times and good lessons he
learned along the way.
“I really liked my character,
especially a duet
I got to do with Thomas
O’Malley. The show is silly,
and I think my friends
who come to see it will
really like it,” LeeMaster
said. “The moral of the
story is to go after your
dreams, just like my character
did. He really admired
Thomas O’Malley
and learned how to be
more brave and tough because
of the friendship.”
Along with Avon, Music
Director Ellen Morris,
and Choreographer,
Kirsten Markham directed
the cast.
Disney’s “The Aristocrats
Kids” runs April
20-29, with performances
at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays,
and 2 p.m. Sundays.
Performances take
place in the Theatre of the
Community Recreation
Center, 3000 Glenview
Road. Tickets are $10 and
are now on sale. Tickets
can be purchased online
at www.wilmettepark.org.
For more information call
(847) 256-9686.
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Cast members (left
to right) Beatrix
Peddinghaus, of Wilmette,
Josie Derrick, of WIlmette,
Daniel Rachelson, of
Glenview, Kylin Schneider,
of Wilmette, and Lauren
Vellon, of Wilmette,
perform in the Wilmette
Children Theatre’s
production of “The
Aristocats Kids.” Photos
by Alexa Burnell/22nd
Century Media