Everett After two or three years of studying performing arts with KIDSTAGE, Nick Dominski, a seventh-grader at Lakewood Middle School, plays a laid back, Mr. Cool sort of person, King Louis. King Louis is the king of the monkeys, in the Village Theatres KIDSTAGE production of Disneys The Jungle Book Kids!
He knows hes better than everyone else among all the monkeys, Dominski said.
Dominski plays along with Michael Wanner as Mowgli and Addison Howley as Baloo and the Jungle Chorus as they sing and dance their way through madcap adventures and thwart the ferocious tiger, Shere Khan, played by Brittney Jones.
The story is pretty much all told in song, Dominski said.
Indeed its the singing that inspired him to join the performing arts training program for youth in Everett.
Thats why I got involved with KIDSTAGE, he said. Singing is my favorite thing,
Thats true also for Marysville Middle School seventh-grader Madison Pickard, who is one of the older members of the Jungle Chorus. She studies voice with Lois Forde and had her first public performance with Fordes Northwest Choir at a Christmas concert at Arlington High School, this winter.
Pickards has been studying at KIDSTAGE since she was 5. Past roles include playing a spinning top in Velveteen Rabbit and Marci in Youre Good Man Charlie Brown.
As one of the elders in this production of the KIDSTAGE Ensemble, Pickard sees her important role as setting a good example for the younger kids.
I feel its my job to have my lines ready and behave well so the younger actors will follow my example, Pickard said from school last Friday.
Dominski also plays with seven actors who comprise the Snake Coil.
The snake Kaa wants to eat Mogli and the panther stops Kaa, Dominski explained.
Presented by the VT KIDSTAGE Ensemble with 29 students in fourth- through eighth-grades from around Snohomish County, all the actors are in the KIDSTAGE performing arts training program.
Dominski said its very rewarding being involved with KIDSTAGE productions.
We work with professional people who know what they are doing. They study in college and put you in the perfect part the part that you are made for, Dominski said.
The director, music director, set designers and choreographers are all professionals, he said.
They use all the special technical words in rehearsals, he said.
Its not easy to learn it all, but you learn it eventually.
Dominski has taken classes in singing and language, as well as one called Broadway Bound. He has been in several KIDSTAGE productions, including playing the prince in Cinderella, the tin soldier in Velveteen Rabbit, and Barnacles in Honk.
At school he hasnt done any acting or singing, but he plays oboe with the band.
He hopes all his friends and neighbors will attend the show.
One of the reasons that most people will like it is because its really whacky. The costumes are way over done and its funny but not too funny. There are some serious parts and some scary parts, but it ends with big laugh.
But especially because of the good music.
Pickard is expecting a lot of her friends to see the show.
Its fun for adults and kids, she said. Its not like a lot of other plays. This one is a familiar story from a different point of view.
Pickard said she is not nervous.
No, Im only nervous when I doubt myself. Now Im ready and excited for this show.
The Jungle Book Kids is directed and choreographed by local and regional performer, choreographer, and KIDSTAGE class instructor, Jessica Low who also contributed to KIDSTAGEs Honk, Jr.
Musical direction is by Emily Lauckhart, scenic design by Scott Fyfe, and lighting design by Willian McCoubrey, who also helped with the KIDSTAGE productions of Honk, Jr., Pippin, and Godspell.
The Jungle Book is being staged simultaneously with the KIDSTAGE Teen Select production of the rock-n-roll version of A Midsummer Nights Dream.
An older ensemble, the TeenSelect program of KIDSTAGE is presenting a 1950s rock-n- roll version of Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream, through Feb. 18.
Created by Seattle theater icon, Arne Zaslove, this Midsummer Nights Dream features Shakespeares original text recast in a more contemporary setting with such hit songs as Why do Fools Fall in Love? Goin to the Chapel, and Love Potion No. 9.
Directed by Janet Cole Hamilton, choreographed by Nicole Boote and with music directed by John Allman, the show shares the stage and set with The Jungle Book.
Midsummer has two more shows, at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 15 and 18 at the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave. in Everett and The Jungle Book starts 7:30 p.m., Feb. 16 and 17 and at 2 p.m., Feb. 17 and 18.