Stuart Little, the children’s book character whose adventures were first published by author E.B. White in 1945, is the quintessential “possibility thinker.”
Even though he’s a mouse born to a human family in New York City, he doesn’t see his small size as any reason he should be held back.
Although he’s sometimes shy and thoughtful, Stuart is also intelligent, articulate, adventurous, inventive and big-hearted.
In White’s charming fantasy, he won’t be intimidated, even by the household cat, Snowbell. And in his quest for his best friend, the beautiful little bird Margalo, he’s eternally hopeful.
His story, as adapted for the stage by Joseph Robinette (who also authored the sensitive adaptation of White’s Charlotte’s Web previously produced by SYTCO), and scored by English composer Ronna Frank, would seem to be the perfect fare for children aged four and up.
And, as noted by Susan Pendleton, director of Surrey Youth Theatre Company’s production – coming to Earl Marriott Secondary’s Wheelhouse Theatre April 11 and 12 – there are more than a few chuckles for adults in White’s wryly humourous vision.
Stuart Little is also the perfect vehicle for the SYTCO company – 17 children aged between nine and 15 – allowing them to flex creative muscles in narrating the story and playing a wide range of characters populating Stuart’s world, using simple costumes and a set that mainly consists of large building blocks.
Pendleton reports happily that the cast has been throwing themselves into the imaginative process guided by herself and assistant Shubhi Singh – and musical numbers choreographed by Carol Seitz.
“The play is very different from the movie,” noted Pendleton. “It follows the book more exactly and Stuart doesn’t get into the same danger – there are no horror (elements). It’s just charming. There’s no sadness like there is in Charlotte’s Web.”
She’s keenly aware of the irony of tall and lanky Dominic Ferronato playing Stuart.
“I cast the oldest and tallest person in the cast as the mouse,” she said.
“But the fact is, he read it better than anyone else. He managed to get all the naiveté and sincerity in. His reading was smack-on.”
Backing up Ferronato, in a multiplicity of supporting roles, is a strong ensemble including Vanessa Asaad, Zia Alkema, Elise Dalzell, Deklan Evora, Annika Ferronato, Vanessa Ferronato, Ellie Frost, Kai Glass, Hunter Hart, Lauren Hewstan, Jioh Kim, Sofia Kowalczyk, Sofie Levy, Emily McTavish, Samriddhi Singh and Emma Verret.
Typical of the energy and enthusiasm of the youthful cast, Pendleton said, is the thoroughness of Sofie Levy, a Grade 9 Earl Marriott student who’s a four-year veteran of SYTCO productions.
“She came to me at one rehearsal and said ‘Susan, who’s that woman on page 25 selling newspapers?’
“I said “Sofie, do you want to play that part?’ and she said ‘When I’m envisioning the play, I see myself as that woman selling newspapers.’”
Pendleton admits to a fondness for White and his mouse character – however unlikely the basic premise seems.
“The kids will accept it even if adults are saying ‘what…?’ The point is that size doesn’t matter, whether you’re tall or small or fat or skinny.
“The appeal of Stuart is that we begin to believe in him as he believes in himself. He’s living in a people world and he can handle it.”
Showtimes are 7 p.m. Saturday (April 11) and 2 p.m. Sunday (April 12)
The Wheelhouse Theatre is located at 15751 16 Ave.
Tickets ($13 plus $1.45 service fee) are available at www.brownpapertickets.com
For more information, email sytco@shaw.ca or visit www.surreyyouththeatre.ca
