Kraner’s vision drives VWCT production

CLAIRE CLAY/for the Van Wert independent

Van Wert Civic Theatre is known for producing summer shows and musicals ideal for involvement from elementary and junior high students, but change is happening this summer.

Chad Kraner, elementary school teacher and Drama Club adviser at Lincolnview Local Schools, and a member of the VWCT board, had a vision of something greater than the norm, and that vision was Blood Brothers, the Musical.

“I wanted to do a summer musical to provide an opportunity for those in high school or college who really enjoy theatre to come together and put on a great musical production,” Kraner said.

The show is directed by Kraner and Dee Fisher (music director), assisted by Danielle Slagle and choreographed by Kim Pollock. Those four decided to pull together a performance using only high school and college students from the surrounding areas.

This is Kraner’s way of showing students and citizens of the surrounding areas how they can be a part of the Van Wert community — and VWCT in particular.

“This performance gives some of the young people in our community a chance to work with others who have the same interests in the arts and display their acting and singing talents,” said Kraner. “It also gets them engaged in our local community theatre, and, hopefully, we will see some return back to the Van Wert community after college where they will become involved in future productions.”

Skyler Whitaker, a 2016 graduate of Lincolnview High School and current student at Bowling Green State University, is one of the main characters in the musical and is grateful to be back on VWCT’s stage with some of his former fellow actors and actresses.

“I thought I would never get to perform with anyone from previous shows I’ve been in again,” said Whitaker. “But when I heard about this show, I got really excited to see my fellow castmates, so I auditioned and here I am.”

On the other hand, Bailey Sparks, a recent graduate of St. Marys Memorial High School, is using this musical to gain a different experience in the realm of theatre.

“I’ve never been in a musical before,” said Sparks. “I’ve also never played a bad guy in any of the plays I’ve been in, so I’m really looking forward to this opportunity. It should be fun.”

In addition to Whitaker and Sparks, the featured cast also includes Joe Linser, Elle Long, Olivia Snyder, Taite McKinney, Lexi Pohlman, Jacob Pollock, Samantha Stevenson, LeAndryce Miller, Tabitha Howell, Anna Reichert, Becca Daugherty, Faith Mauer, Courtney Wendel, Louis Crow, Jack Snyder, Miah Katalenas, Lainie Jones, Zoey Lippi, Miki Dull, Hannah Kraner, Braxten Robey, Brooke Schroeder, and Brooke Lehman.

Fisher, the music director for the show, has the necessary experience to make this production a superior one. In fact, Fisher has done this exact performance on the same stage in 1999, but this year’s cast is considerably younger.

In addition to her theatre experience, Fisher teaches organ, piano, and voice. She added that she is thrilled to have one of her current organ students, Eli Knodell, a student at Ottoville High School, join her in the show’s ensemble band.

The unique collaboration effort by the directors brings together students from eight different high schools, including Van Wert, Lincolnview, Crestview, Parkway, Delphos St. John’s, Delphos Jefferson, St. Marys Memorial, and Ottoville, as well as eight colleges and universities: BGSU, Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne, Liberty University, the University of Toledo, Cleveland State University, Belmont University, Huntington University, and Grand Valley State University.

“These kids, from different towns and schools, are having the experience of working with other people who have similar likes and interests,” said Fisher. “For many of them, the bar has been raised — they are being stretched to give the best performance they have within them.”

“It makes the show more dynamic and interesting for directors, that’s for sure,” Fisher added.

Blood Brothers, the Musical, written by Willy Russell, is a cutting edge show with bits of humor and comic relief, but it also addresses some deeper subjects. Written with a modern nature versus nurture plot, fraternal twins Mickey and Eddie were separated at birth and raised by parents in vastly different social statuses. Their friendship is put to the test when they both fall in love with the same girl.

Find out which twin prevails in “Blood Brothers, the Musical,” on the Van Wert Civic Theatre’s stage June 15-18. Nightly performances begin at 8 p.m. and a single matinee performance on Sunday begins at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased from the box office by calling 419.238.9689.