Vanderhoof Children’s Theatre is back for its 21st year, with some exciting new props that have never been used on the local stage before.

This year, students from grade 2 through 12 are performing Disney’s Frozen Jr. and the Director Richard Wruth is excited for Vanderhoof to see the use of puppets on stage, for the first time ever.

“This is one of the most technical shows we have done,” Wruth says.

Even though puppets haven’t been used in a production before, students who have gone to Disney Land for workshops have done puppetry, the director said.

“So its nice for these kids to use the skills they learned into a show.”

The play which is opening to the public on Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. at the NVSS small auditorium, is based off the Disney movie Frozen, and as Frozen 2 just came out in theatres, everyone is “Frozen crazy” says Wruth.

The theatre group is running eight shows until February 8th and tickets are being sold at California Dreamin’.

Community members stepped up this year, the director said, adding parents of actors and other volunteers spent countless hours on props and costumes.

READ MORE: Theatre has helped kids become more confident: Parent

“Every kid has a snowflake costume. And there are 150 hours per person to make those snowflakes for a two-minute scene,” Wruth said.

“But that is what makes the scene and the show, and is a part of what we do here at the Children’s Theatre.”

Wruth told the Omineca Express that through the years he has seen students bud into actors.

“If you look at how long I have been doing it, each year they come back they grow. You can see that.”

“And in some kids, you can see that acting is what they should do.”

“I just found out that a guy stopped by yesterday. He was a manager for one of the girls who was in theatre here and she has graduated and is directing her first video for film school. And he says it all started with Children’s Theatre.”

Wruth added that theatre gives all participants life skills, irrespective of their personal ambition.

READ MORE: Vanderhoof Bears alumni raised over $10K for children’s theatre

READ MORE: Vanderhoof Children’s Theatre returns from California’s Disneyland

Aman Parhar
Editor, Vanderhoof Omineca Express

aman.parhar@ominecaexpress.com
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Behind-the-scenes during the groups’s rehearsal last week at Nechako Valley Secondary School. (Aman Parhar/Omineca Express)

School shows start on Monday, Jan. 26, with public shows starting Jan. 29. (Aman Parhar/Omineca Express)

Students rehearse at the NVSS small auditorium. (Aman Parhar/Omineca Express)