The show runs Thursday, Nov. 16 through Sunday, Nov. 19 and is an adaptation of Lewis’ “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” As the plot unfolds, Aslan, the great lion, struggles with the White Witch; and four children inadvertently wander from an old wardrobe into the exciting, never-to-be-forgotten land of Narnia. The White Witch is determined to keep Narnia in her possession and end the reign of Aslan.
“I hope audiences walk away with a sense of hope that with every new day is a new chance of righting whatever we have done wrong, or a new beginning, so to speak. C.S. Lewis was trying to explain how Christ and God were everywhere, and not just in the Bible and church. So, we’ve explored that a little bit through the production, trying to convey some of that message without being overtly preachy,” Cline said.
Themes throughout the production include love, faith, courage, and giving as well as the story’s triumph of good over evil.
She said the show also ties in some of the religious aspects from literature that maybe the students weren’t aware of prior to the show, and with Badin being a Catholic High School, it’s a good opportunity to make that connection.
“We have students who are brand new to the stage, and we have kids who have been involved in theater all four years of high school, plus grade school. So, it’s a wide variety of talent that comes to the show,” Cline said.
Badin junior Logan Dent plays Aslan, and senior Samantha Keil performs as the White Witch. The four children who go through the wardrobe into Narnia include senior Patrick Farrell and juniors Jocelyn Brenot, Liz Carruthers, and Sam Collins.
Additional cast members include Veronica Keil, Raynah Grau, Rouge Carruthers, Louella Cline, Olivia Cook, Airikah Hays, Evan Land and Queen of Peace student Vince Collins.
Cline said the show has been a collaborative effort. Students helping backstage with the set, costuming, and makeup include Olivia Nester, Bati Newell, Carrie Ries, Quinn Tavares, Olivia Snyder, and Lexi Linblad. The set includes a painted map of Narnia, which serves as a stunning backdrop for the stage.
“Badin is not just known for our really awesome football team. We’re also known for having a fantastic art program, and I think people need to come out and experience the full Badin experience, and that includes the arts,” Cline said.
Dirk Allen, media relations liaison at Badin High School added, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a classic, and Badin High School does a great job with our shows. The students are always enthusiastic, and they do a nice job. We’ve put on some outstanding shows over the past few years.”
“Last year, we did a musical called, ‘The Drowsy Chaperone,” and was terrific, and we did ‘Murder on the Orient Express,’ and that went well. We did both of those productions last year. The quality of our programming is very good,” he said.
There will be four performances of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” Shows are 7 p.m., nightly, Thurs. through Sat., Nov. 16, 17, and 18, with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Sun., Nov. 19. Tickets for the show are $7 each, and are available through Badin’s website at www.Badinhs.org, (under sports ticketing,) or tickets may be purchased at the door.
“I always go to the shows. I enjoy Badin theater and I love watching the students on stage. They do an amazing job,” Allen said.
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Upcoming productions include “The Pajama Game” in the spring. Dates for the show are Apr. 18-21. Badin’s Little Theater at Badin High School is located at 571 New London Road in Hamilton.
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