DSS bring the Lorax to the stage

From left: DSS students Thalia Ramage, Dani-Rose Coates, and Rosemarie Nederend, perform a dress rehearsal for At the Far End of Town, an original play based on Dr.Suess' The Lorax, running at the Genesis Theatre from March 5-8.

Adrian MacNair photo

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The stage is set in the brilliant rainbow colours of Dr. Seuss' imaginary world, complete with the candy floss facade of the Truffula trees.

The actors, consisting of Delta Secondary students, break into a chaotic scene where the townspeople buy the "Thneed" fabric created from the trees.

Next week, these same students will recreate the events of the popular 1971 children's book The Lorax at the Genesis Theatre in an original play called At the Far End of Town.

"We created everything from songs and dance to the set and rhyming dialogue," says drama teacher and director Rebecca Salton during a break in the dress rehearsal.

She shouts instructions to the actors on stage and continues.

"They're so musical and artistic we were able to create something original," she says, adding the idea began sometime in September. "Like anything else, it grows and develops over time."

Salton says they started with a small group of drama students, and it has since grown to encompass the talents of students throughout the school, with 32 onstage actors, and nearly as many behind the scenes doing costume and set design, lighting, and other duties.

"I said I wanted a lamp, build me a lamp, and they did," says Kathie Morrison, technical director for the play.

"It's really neat to see kids in Grades 9 or 10 say, hey, I could do this for a living."

At the Far End of Town has been written to be true to the children's book and not the recent film from Universal Studios.

Salton says the themes of environment and community are still relevant today and inspirational for students at Delta Secondary.

At the Far End of Town runs four nights only from March 5-8 at 7 p.m. at The Genesis Theatre in Delta Secondary. Advance tickets are are available between 11:30-11:50 a.m. and 3-3:30 p.m. on school days for $12 for adults, and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets are $15 and $13, respectively, at the door.

For the box office call 604-940-0069.