Some book, Some play, Some anniversary — Behind the curtain with Director Susan A. Keady

June 2, 2012

Encore is not alone in celebrating a grand anniversary this year. Charlotte’s Web celebrates it’s 60th year! Director Susan A. Keady shares her thoughts and journey with Encore’s production of Charlotte’s Web.

To close Encore’s 45th anniversary season, I wanted to direct a literary classic for our June show. After searching my shelves of beloved children’s novels, I landed on Charlotte’s Web. This is Charlotte’s anniversary too, her story precedes the founding of Encore Stage and Studio by 15 years. Sixty years ago, on October 15, 1952, E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web was published. As a young child, I was an avid reader and Charlotte’s story was one of my favorites. I remember when my Weekly Reader Book Club offered me the chance to order my very own copy of Charlotte’s Web for my monthly selection. I was so very excited to own my own copy of E.B. White’s wonderful story. I was captivated with the charming characters and the unique story line; the bashful baby boy pig who was befriended and ultimately had his life saved by two females; a sweet farm girl, Fern and an elegant spider, Charlotte. There weren’t many stories in the 1950’s and 60’s that had powerful female figures who drove the story forward through imaginative critical thinking skills and peaceful problem solving, and saved the day without a handsome prince. Albeit, Templeton is a rat and a male and, without his dumpster diving for words for Charlotte to write, Wilbur might have ended his days up on the Honey Baked chopping block. So, I give Templeton his due; he is a self serving rat who tosses in the lesson “you gotta take the good with the bad.” The additional animals in the barnyard offer their well-intended ideas and advice during farm meetings, which Charlotte chairs.

While I was casting the show, I watched each auditionee move and tried to imagine where each child would fit into the story. What characteristics and personality traits would the children have that would enhance the story? I added many more animals than the original script offers to give more children the opportunity to work on stage. This was a difficult show to cast because, in the end, I probably could have used just about all 110 children that auditioned but our cast was limited to 25 and quality over quantity ruled. I imagine all the animals to have distinct personalities, perhaps blended by their species similarities; the geese and gander would preen and offer sage advice, the ducks would be kept in line (literally) by their mother duck, the sheep would speak in a pragmatic fashion, all the lambs would jump over fences together and cry “baaa” in and out of unison and since their legs were new, they probably stumbled often. My treatment of all the animals is heavily influenced by Lambchop, my favorite sock puppet, inspired by Shari Lewis’ television show Lambchop which premiered only a few years after Charlotte’s Web. Lamb Chop was an obstinate but very vulnerable creature, not unlike all my barnyard animals and certainly very muck like Fern. Fern acts out of simple, sweet impulse in her desire to save a baby runt and her action takes us on an adventure of faith, love, hope and an unusual friendship with an insect most children fear, a spider.

The story holds up beautifully and all the barnyard animals that I envisioned when I read the story as a child remain vivid to me. I return to the book over and over while I am directing because the story is always fresh and inspiring.

My literary selections, the casting process, the way I feel about Charlotte and her story are all similar to the way I feel about Encore Stage and Studio. It is a genuine, sweet and inspiring theatre company peopled by hundreds of participants every year who are intelligent, creative, vulnerable, kind and inspiring. The children and adults who work with Encore have an admirable work ethic and a strong faith in the productions we produce. Through the uncertainties of this year with the revolving theatre venues due to the earthquake, the Encore staff, the participants, the Arlington County staff and the Northern Virginia community have all remained helpful, loyal and true to the cause of offering a place for children to perform and for thousands of children to attend.

-Susan A. Keady
Artistic Director