His play demonstrates a good mind for fantasy and youth theatre, the story set in the city of Landsian where the grandmother of young Cody and Caitlyn is dying. Caitlyn, shunned by the other children for being a nerdy storyteller, enjoys relating the tales passed down by her grandmother. Those tales include the legend of the golden butterfly, which will reveal itself to the one of purest heart and show them the secret location of the wellspring of life. And that’s exactly what the Wise Woman sends them off to find, embarking them on an adventure that will force them to learn valuable lessons, meet a slew of fanciful characters, and enter the heart of Landsian’s mortal enemy – the throne room of Windsian.

Eighth grader Hailey Johnson gives a great performance as the thoughtful, intelligent dreamer Caitlyn. Seventh grader Noah Gallego nicely captures Cody, Caitlyn’s more impulsive and pragmatic sibling, but he’s loyal and sensitive when it counts the most. Both siblings play the straight person to the comic capers of the curious, talkative, terribly vain, and terribly lactose intolerant cat named Friskas. Natalie Burgess steals her scenes with her catty attitude and drama queen personality for which a little flattery goes a long way, and a little milk makes you go along ways from her.

A few other standouts include Caitlyn’s soul mate in the sky, the Windsian teenager named Art, with Andrew Gatti as the sensitive, friendless storyteller who lives in the air. Kaleigh Prue is a boldly manipulative Lura determined to keep her power and beauty forever. Bethany Lane is a diverting transcriber who works with operatic flair, while Lady Frey (Sarah Stellpflug), the Wise Woman (Laura Iudiciani), and Shortwick (Seth Hoy) give solid, colorful performances. The ensemble includes a great chorus of four dancing (and sometimes arguing) statues, intrepid Landsian soldiers (who wear jingle bells on their uniforms, for which the Windsians are surely grateful), and the many Landsian and Windsian citizens.

Performed February 5 - 22, 2009.

Rob Hopper
National Youth Theatre