Watch out, because the Big Bad Wolf is on trial!

Lynn Canal Community Players will once again sponsor the 2023 Summer Youth Theater Conservatory, beginning on June 30, running through July 23 at the Chilkat Center for the Arts. The program will culminate in performances of Alec Strum’s “The Big Bad Musical” on July 22 and 23.

Classes are scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students 8 through 18 can participate.

Roger Gentry, program coordinator and assistant director of the show, describes the program as “a mix of theater basics … theater vocabulary and terminology about the stage, established acting disciplines and techniques, as well as an introduction to the world of technical theatre, eg., stage management, lighting, sound … that kind of stuff.”

Morning classes will be about voice, movement, and acting technique as well as some theater “games.” The afternoons will be about rehearsal and getting the “Big Bad Musical” ready for performance.

“One of the important things one can take away from this experience is to begin to understand the discipline of the theater. Yes, it is great fun, but it is also work … and that work can be incredibly rewarding. So, we want to instill that knowledge in them, too,” he said.

Last summer the program produced “Showtime on the Showboat,” an old time “mellerdrammer” with the requisite Hero and Heroine, the Villain and Villainess. People were able to cheer the good guys and boo the bad!

This year’s program is “The Big Bad Musical,” also referred to as a “Howling Courtroom Drama.” In the play, the Big Bad Wolf is on trial in the forest where he caused so much trouble. The plaintiffs range from Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother, to the Three Little Pigs and the Boy Who Cried wolf, among others.

Legal protocols are laid out by the Fairy Godmother and the Evil Stepmother — although she hates pro-bono work. This play is perfect for actors aged 8 through 18, and all members of the cast are given the opportunity to shine. There are both singing and non-singing roles, but all are welcome to join in the chorus. The program gives the students the ability to see how theater moves from the script to the stage.

Gentry also had a word for those kids who feel they would be to shy to perform in front of an audience.

“I was a shy kid, and one of the ways I was able to overcome that was to be able to get on stage and being loud and bold as someone else. It gives you permission to be as ornery as the character you play. It also feels great to be a member of the company. Then, once you have the craft down, you have skills that will last a lifetime.”

“The Big Bad Musical” was written by Alec Shrum, with music and lyrics by Bill Francouer. Shrum is a Brooklyn-based writer, director and dramaturg and currently works with New York City’s Playwright’s Horizons.

Annette Hillman, returning for her second year, will direct “The Big Bad Musical.” She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of California at Long Beach, and then went on to earn her Master of Fine Arts in Theater from Purdue University. Cathy Pashigian will provide vocal training and musical direction for the production.

If any potential students have interest in the areas of technical production — stage management, for example, the Conservatory would be happy to work with them to provide that training in addition to learning basic acting skills.

The registration fee for the program remains at $325. There is an early registration discount of $25 if the forms are received or postmarked prior to June 10. Registration forms are available through The Bookstore at 223 Main Street and the main office at Haines School, 664 Haines Road.

Forms may also be downloaded from chilkatcernter.org, under Activities and Events. Completed registration forms should be sent to LCCP Summer Youth Theater Conservatory; P.O. Box 1030; Haines, AK 99827.

Please feel free to contact Roger Gentry with any questions regarding the program at [email protected] or 520-331-8652.