Snow College students perform in The Railway Children, a play directed by Milinda Weeks. Photo by Shaylyce Duncan
Snow College’s exciting production of “the Railway Children” concluded on November 16th. The play was performed on November 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th in the Eccles Performing Arts Center.
The play’s story centers on Peter (played by Casey Lamb), Phyllis (played by Brittnie Sorenson) and Roberta (played by Caitlin Bell). They are three English children growing up in early 1900s England. They live with their father until his sudden arrest, and the circumstances force them to move to a far off reclusive village with their mother. The children quickly become enchanted by the local railway, where they use their imaginations and play as children do. Their new house, the Three Cottage Chimney, differs from their prior experience in London but they learn to adapt as a family.
“This play was unique because there were multiple scene changes,” said cast member Aaron Yardley. “It broke the fourth wall several times during the show,” explained tech crew worker Jaden Hansen. He referred to the “walls” that actors imagine while performing. They picture that offstage, upstage and backstage are the areas their character can interact with, but the audience is in the “fourth wall”, with which they normally don’t interact. “In this show the main characters frequently talked to the audience about things, like ‘pay attention to this part,’ ‘you should remember this part.”
Upcoming Snow College Theatre performances include “The Forgotten Carols” on December 5th through 7th, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” on February 20th, 21st, 22nd, 27th, 28th, and March 1st, and “Blithe Spirit” on April 16th through 19th.
A theme in “The Railway Children” is child-like innocence and fun. Added cast member Aaron, “I think students related to the play because they all want some sort of adventure.” “It really helped them recapture the imagination of being a child,” agreed Jaden.
Spencer Erickson
Spencer Ericksen is sophomore here at Snow College, and is a first year writer for the Snow Drift. He is from Payson Utah, and is hoping to major in Journalism once he finishes here. Spencer has a music scholarship in the music program as a percussionist, and has been playing since he was thirteen. He plays in the pep band, symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, and the percussion ensemble. He hopes to graduate this spring, and transfer to the University of Utah next fall. Spencer lived near Ansbach, Germany, with his family for five years between the ages of eight and thirteen. He served a full time mission for the LDS church in Lima Peru, and returned in June of this year. Being the well rounded person that he is, he also has experience in working construction.