It's a week before showtime and Theatrix artistic director Deb Solberg is without a male character and two dogs for her musical Legally Blonde.
Things are a little stressful, to say the least, but the Coquitlam resident believes all will be resolved in time for the show, which runs July 25 to 28 at the Evergreen Cultural Centre.
Solberg has lined up 18 actors for the production, ranging in age from 14 to 19 - many of whom appeared a few years back in Theatrix's High School Musical. They liked performing together and have kept in touch via social media, she said.
Cast as the ditzy Elle Woods is Cassidy Stahr, a Gleneagle secondary student who is making her debut with the company. And Matthew Stewart - Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart's son - will play the role of Woods' love interest at Harvard University.
Solberg wanted to put on Legally Blonde last year; however, she changed her mind after Terry Fox secondary chose it for its drama students. Because of the teachers' job action, it didn't run "so I had a few begging me to do the show this summer and I thought, 'Why not? It's a fun, frothy play that's full of lots of laughs.'"
Solberg also said she picked Honk! Jr. to run concurrently for younger audiences in the afternoon because "I had done it before and, recently, things have been a little hectic around here so I just wanted to take it easy."
Solberg said the two musicals have story lines and good messages: Honk! Jr., a musical adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen story The Ugly Duckling, promotes tolerance while Legally Blonde, a Broadway show and 2001 movie starring Reese Witherspoon, teaches about being savvy and successful.
"Everyone should come see them because they're fun and light-hearted," Solberg said of the Theatrix performances. "And, they're a good way to introduce kids to the theatre."
Honk! Jr. and Legally Blonde run July 25 to 28 at Evergreen Cultural Centre (1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam), with curtains at 1 and 7 p.m., respectively. Tickets start at $10. Call 604-927-6555 or visit evergreenculturalcentre.ca.
