Parents, children get into the act at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre

By Jan Belk

Photo courtesy of the Chattanooga Theatre Centre

The Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s production of A Christmas Carol, playing through December 19, offered parents and their children the rare opportunity to appear together on stage.

Wayne Simmons and his son, Josh, 8; Phil Varnell and his son, Jack, 14; and Emma Veys and her daughter, Sophie, 8, all are featured in the holiday production. Jack and Josh are both home-schooled. Sophie is a student at Westview Elementary.

“When I looked over the groups at auditions, I was glad we had so many combinations of parents and children,” says George Quick, producing director of the CTC and director of this production. “I was hopeful this would happen, but I didn’t select the cast because they were parent and child, especially the kids. But it’s nice to have that.”

Families that play together
Josh Simmons landed the plum role of Tiny Tim, and dad Wayne plays a business associate of Ebenezer Scrooge. Mom Marjorie and daughter Sarah appeared together in The Music Man last year and enjoyed the experience so much, the Dayton, Tenn., family all auditioned for this production.
“I think being in A Christmas Carol with Daddy is amazing,” says Josh. “It’s just fun, and I love being with my dad.”

Spending time together is a big plus, too, for Jack Varnell, who plays The Ghost of Christmas Present.
“It’s great to be able to do something with my dad,” says Jack.

Theatre is a family tradition for the Varnells. Phil met wife Amanda at the CTC, and the couple with their three children all turned out for auditions.

“I hadn’t been onstage at the CTC in more than a decade,” says Phil, who has dual roles as a narrator and a businessman. “My wife saw the call for auditions in George’s newsletter, and we decided this was something we wanted to try to do together.”

Young Sophie Veys was the one who brought her mom, Emma, to the stage. Sophie had auditioned for a role in the Youth Theatre’s Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing this fall, but it was younger brother JT, tagging along to the audition, who scored the role.

“They needed a little boy who could throw a fit, and he could certainly do that,” Emma explains.
Emma, who plays nephew Fred’s wife in the play, is a stay-at-home mom to four children, ages 1 to 8. She’s excited to do be on stage with her daughter, who Emma says inspires her.

“With eight hours of school followed by three hours of rehearsal, time commitment is an issue,” she says. “But Sophie is enjoying it, and it’s nice for us to have this to do together.”

Rehearsals last six weeks, followed by a month of four performances a week.

“We would definitely do this again,” says Emma. “After a little break.”

Acting with Mom or Dad

“When a child is acting in a production, the best thing a parent can do is help the child learn his or her lines,” says George Quick. “Then let the director help with the acting. Leave the form to the expert, as you would with piano or tennis lessons.” Parents and children have worked together beautifully on A Christmas Carol, he adds.

More ways to get into the act

While the opportunities for parents and children to appear together on stage are rare, there are plenty of opportunities for parents to experience the theatre with their children in other ways.
Stephen Drew, a former Brit who plays a businessman/narrator in the production, is sharing the experience with wife Susan, who serves as dialogue coach. Their children Harrison (who appeared in High School Musical), a sixth-grader at Center for Creative Arts, and Emily volunteer as greeters in Victorian dress during the run of the play.

On the Youth Theatre stage, Laura Miller shares her passion for the theatre with her sons Andrew, 17, Damon, 13, and Chad, 9. All three boys are home-schooled, and all have appeared on stage at the CTC. Andrew and Damon are concluding the run of the Youth Theatre’s production of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Jr. on December 21. Chad appeared in last season’s Sleeping Beauty.

Laura, an actress herself, says the theatre is a hobby they all can share.

“While the boys are performing, there’s always something for me to do backstage,” she says, cutting and pinning hearts on a costume. “I do makeup, paint spots on leopards, sew up seams that rip during the performance . . .”

Laura also helps welcome and seat school groups who come for daytime Youth Theatre performances.
Parents with limited free time are invited to “work nights” leading up to a production, building and painting sets, sorting props and creating costumes.

“Supporting the child any way you can with creative self-expression helps that child build confidence and self-esteem,” says George Quick. “What could be more important?”

Jan Belk is director of marketing and public relations for the Chattanooga Theatre Centre.