Birthday party chaos sung beautifully by Pumpjack Players’ youth in spring musical

By Serena Lapointe

What would happen if about 30 kids got together for a backyard birthday

party, accidentally got locked in and couldn’t leave, and there were no

adults? And, what if those youth created their own society and ruled over

each other? That was the synopsis of last weekend’s hilarious Pumpjack

Players Spring Children’s Show held at Central School.

The play, aptly called The Most Epic Birthday Party Ever, was created by

award-winning musical theatre composer and lyricist Denver Casado,

based on a book he wrote with Brian Dawson. Casado’s birthday musical is

just one of the 26 shows on his resume. He is also the founder of Beat-by-

Beat Press.

Pumpjack Players veterans Brigette Moore and Kristy Lovdahl directed the

musical, guiding the cast of 29, including several young newcomers,

through some catchy tunes. “It was about a birthday party for a 12-year-old.

They get locked in the backyard and all the adults vanish, so they create

their own society. Then it shows what happens when kids are left to their

own devices in large groups,” chuckled Moore.

Hilarity ensued as the youth maneuvered their new society, including

electing one to lead them. Eventually, things fall apart because the elected

kid lets the power get to her head, causing some kids to separate

themselves and create another society.

“I was the older sister, Charlie, who decided to become the queen and

create her own country and boss everyone around,” laughed Lily-Raine

Levy, who has acted in three prior shows with Pumpjack Players and ages

out this year.

She said she gained confidence acting in the plays. “It has been a great

opportunity for me to make a lot of friends and meet a lot of kids who look

up to me as an older kid here. I felt like I connected with the kids in this

play. I had a lot of fun, and I know the kids did too.”

Levy joined Pumpjack Players after watching her mom, Lovdahl, perform in

Chicago, one of the fall adult plays. “I was going to rehearsals with her, and

I thought it was really cool. Then I saw the show. I was like, wow, I want to

do that.”

Youth plays tend to be musicals because more children can join thanks to

the need for an ensemble. Levy said she loves singing, which was a bonus,

but she encourages kids to try even if they don’t. “A lot of these kids in this

show, who weren’t sure and were encouraged by a friend to join, did

wonderfully. You never really know your talents until you try.”

The Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon shows both sold out, giving

the youth a jam-packed audience to perform in front of. “Seeing them on

stage performing and how well they did and how much they have grown

over the past five months, and the audience being delighted with their work

made everything worth it,” said Moore.

Pumpjack Players president Shannon Roberts agreed. “I’m so proud of all

the hard work they put into this, not just the kids on the stage but also

behind the scenes. We have kids dedicated to learning their lines, making

props and decorations, and doing the tech. It’s amazing to see. We had

twenty-nine youth on stage and seven behind the scenes.”

Thirteen-year-old Liam Marcer was the Stage Manager and has been

working behind the curtain for several plays. “I thought it would be cool to

do backstage because I like theatre. I’ve done it in school and gone to a

drama class. I thought backstage would be fun.”

Marcer led the charge for moving props during the shows, helping with set

up and some of the planning process. “It’s super exciting to have that

experience. It’s cool to change the scenes. The hardest was probably the

toilet,” he said, which rolled in and out each time.

“It’s not technically a team sport, but you are still working as a team. Being

around like-minded people and finding a place for everybody is awesome,”

said Roberts. “They are learning to work together and are meeting people

outside of who they would meet in their classrooms or schools. We have

kids from three or four schools plus homeschooling kids, so they get to

build those relationships,” she added.

For Moore, the growth that happens once the show ends hits her the most.

“Once the show is over, and they realize that they didn’t die from being

onstage with their nerves, that confidence sets in afterwards. When they go

out into the community, and people compliment them on how great they

did, and all their friends start talking about the play, that’s when the

confidence hits, and you see it when they come back for the next play.”

Moore and Roberts thanked the sponsors, volunteers, actors and

audiences for supporting local theatre. “It’s a great place to volunteer. I’ve

stuck around for ten years and I’m not quitting yet,” laughed Roberts.

“Thanks for all the hard work and the laughs and smiles and for sticking

with us,” she added.

The Pumpjack Players Annual General Meeting will be in August, and the

group will need more directors to join the fold. “If you’re someone who likes

theatre and wants to get involved, there are a lot of opportunities for you!

We are always looking for board members, especially with the new centre

and the path forward that Pumpjack can take,” said Moore.