The family-friendly improv group Calf Skit will be bringing their highly-interactive show to Lacombe in two weeks.
As a lunchbox theatre production, the group, sponsored by Lacombe FCSS, will be presenting Three Billy Goats Gruff during Lacombe Days on July 24th.
"It's really exciting that we get to bring our show from Red Deer to Lacombe," said Against the Wall Theatre Artistic Director Jenna Goldade. "It should be a lot of fun."
Three Billy Goats Gruff features a cast of five and many colourful and fuzzy costumes.
"Each time the show changes because it is slightly improvised," said Goldade. "It's also based on the kid’s suggestions. With the Three Billy Goats Gruff, it's really heavily based on the kids getting to decide."
The group will tell the classic fairytale in three ways, engaging the audience all through the storytelling process.
"In the last way we do it, it's sort of their version of the story of what they think actually happened,” said Goldade.
Calf Skit itself is a show that relies heavily on improvisation, but is loosely scripted giving the cast some guidance.
"We wanted to create a show that would allow kids to get involved in the storytelling," said Goldade about the motive behind creating Calf Skit, the family-friendly theatre production. "We've taken classic fairytales and we usually try to put a spin on it or we try to tell it in a different way."
The theatre company, based out of Red Deer, began eight years ago as a way to bring live theatre to the area.
"We really are focused on live theatre experiences and then we created a cabaret show," explained Goldade. "From the cabaret show we formed Bull Skit, which is a comedy show."
Goldade said the group saw a need for an on-stage improvised or sketch comedy, which helped formed the adult improvised theatre production Bull Skit.
"I noticed that there was a gap in what we were supplying to the community," she said. "There really wasn't any shows for kids to go to specifically geared for kids. It would come in every once and a while but there was nothing consistent and that was something that we really loved doing — we provide consistent adult entertainment and we like to do a weekly show."
The group looked at their audience, acknowledged the Central Alberta area is very much family-based and formed Calf Skit two years ago.
"Rather than just entertaining the adults and parents, why not entertain the kids and make a show that promotes live theatre and gets kids involved in storytelling, learning about morals and as it is interactive, it helps boost their confidence in away because they get to be involved," said Goldade. "We want people to feel encouraged to tell stories."
Calf Skit has now expanded out of Red Deer and into the surrounding area, visiting smaller communities like Stettler, and now Lacombe.
"It's a really fun show that gets you involved," said Goldade. "It's as much for the parent as it is for the kids because we always love getting the parents into the story."
The lunch box theatre presentation of Three Billy Goats Gruff will be held on July 24th at the LMC.
Show times are at 11 a.m., geared towards children two to five years of age with parent/guardian accompaniment, and 1 p.m., geared towards children six years of age and up.
Lunch will also be served from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Admission is a loonie or toonie for the Lacombe FCSS PASS Program.
For more information, contact Lacombe FCSS at 403-782-6637.
news@lacombeexpress.com