GO-Frame youth performers rehearsing a musical number on stage. Photos by Gisela Merino.
Before Kris Kringle makes his merry romp Christmas night, GO-Fame Youth Theatre Company presents a local youth performance of Mrs. Claus and the Christmas Star, on December 21and 22.
Over those two days, GO-Fame will present three productions of the adventures of Mrs. Claus traveling with her trusty–though sometimes bumbling–crew of elves, to grant the “the most spirited city in the world” the Christmas Star. Her pilgrimage, filled with twists and turns, brings her to none other than Long Beach.
Written by John Blaylock, directed and choreographed by Adrienne Marquand and musical direction by Jared Pugh, Mrs. Claus and the Christmas Star is–like all GO-Fame productions–being held to professional standards of quality. The nonprofit community theatre company produces four shows a year.
“They’ve learned so much in such a short amount of time,” said Marquand. For the past week, the young actors, whose ages range from eight to 18, have been rehearsing nightly in preparation for Friday’s debut.
“Usually we rehearse six-to-eight weeks, but for this Christmas play, the kids have had only four weeks,” said GO-Frame Artistic Director Elaine Zofrea.
Founded by Zofrea and managing director Kathy McGuire, GO-Fame expanded in 2005 from an after-school program at Minnie Gant Elementary School to a nonprofit organization.
“We founded the school pageants almost ten years ago, because we were involved parents… and it’s become a continued tradition now,” McGuire said.
12-year-old Isaac Foster has been practicing his best gruff, curmudgeon voice for his performance on GO-Fame’s East Long Beach stage. Mrs. Claus and the Christmas Star is his third performance with GO-Fame.
“He loves the stage,” said his mother Tina Foster, watching the young actors rehearse in costume for the first time. “It’s a lot of work for him, juggling homework with acting, but he insists.”
Isaac is not alone in his passion, as most of the young cast have worked with GO-Fame in the past.
Minnie Gant Elementary School has continued its theatre program after the departure of GO-Fame, though it’s pageants are restricted to students at the school.
“It’s only for first through fifth graders at Minnie.” McGuire said. “We kept getting older kids who’d come ask, ‘Can we do a show? We kind of miss it.'”
Mrs. Claus and the Christmas Star is the be performed at the GO-FAME studio at 3960 N. Studebaker Road, Unit #106 on Dec. 21 at 2PM and 7PM and on Dec 22 at 2 PM. Tickets for Mrs. Claus and the Christmas Star are on sale now at $10 by phone at (562) 844-7077, online or at the door. For more information visit GO-FAME.org.
{FG_GEOMAP [33.8294962,-118.0989586] FG_GEOMAP}