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The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe takes to the Squamish stage

Between Shifts Theatre launches first play of the season on Nov. 28
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The first play of the season for Between Shifts Theatre is a local adaptation of the C.S. Lewis classic The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

Set in the land of Narnia, the play is based on the first published — and arguably most beloved — of the seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia.

In this first story, set during the Second World War blitz of London, the Pevensie children — Peter, Susan, Edmund andn Lucy, leave their home to escape the chaos and acute danger of war. They travel by train to stay in a big country house with an old professor.

Strange and mysterious things happen there.

Squamish's Sara Marrocco adapted the play from the novel for the local stage.

The theatre company originally wrote away for the rights to the play and received a copy of it, but it was not what they hoped.

"It was nothing like the story," said Kathy Daniels, who is co-directing the play with Amy Reid.

So, actor and writer Marrocco took over and wrote the adaptation.

It is a very layered and local show, Daniels said.

There are about 20 people are in the cast, and there about 30 working behind the scenes.

Though originally published in 1950, the story still resonates with modern audiences.

"It is about having the courage to do the right thing and to fight for good and believe in good," said Daniels.

Redemption is another theme, she added.

Squamish's Michael Hewitt, an award-winning lighting designer by trade,  and musician, wrote an adapted the musical score for the performance.

"It is just ravishing," said Daniels.

Squamish's Jennifer Carney, of The Performing Arts Centre,  is working with the dancers for the performance.

The cast has worked with a fight-co-ordinator to help with battle scenes.

"There's lots of action in it," Daniels said.

The Squamish cast includes Lula Rodriguez Reid as Lucy; Amy Reid as the White Witch; Kia Thompson as Peter; Jaeda Wilson Rymer as Susan, and Pepe Johnson as Edmond.

The age range of the cast is from about 10 to 68-years-old, which is Daniels.

"The oldest in the cast is certainly me," she said, with a laugh. Daniels plays Mrs. Macready, the housekeeper.

Still without a space of their own, the Between Shifts Theatre Company rehearses at the Sea to Sky Hotel and the Squamish Academy of Music. Sets are put together in an unheated building on the Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival grounds.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe runs Nov. 28 to Dec. 7 at the Eagle Eye Community Theatre.

Shows take to the stage at 7:30 p.m. and there are Saturday matinees at 2 p.m.

For tickets or more information go to, betweenshiftstheatre.com/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/.

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