Church looks to put on a spectacle with ‘Narnia’ prequel

PALMER — Lazy Mountain Bible Church has taken on its biggest artistic production yet with C.S Lewis’s “The Magician’s Nephew.”

The fantasy play adapted by Aurand Harris from the novel will be onstage at the church on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 8-9 at 7 p.m., with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Admission is free.

With a 26-person cast — and at least twice that many behind the scenes for makeup, costuming, lighting, sound, set building, props provision and more — the play will showcase the talents of 10 to 15 percent of the congregation.

“It’s been amazing to see all the different gifts and talents that our church has,” said director Ella Embree, who has led two other Lazy Mountain plays.

Even with so many people lending a hand, the show has taken months to create, she said. Most of the costumes, for example, were made by hand, and designed to portray specific animals without being campy.

“We didn’t want fuzzy, ‘Winnie the Pooh’ costumes, we wanted human-animal-like,” Embree said.

That, in part, is why she’s had to employ 14 costumers and five makeup artists for the show. Embree said that rather than using plastic or fabric masks, the actors and actresses will wear face paint that gives them freedom to express their characters while still portraying the necessary animal qualities.

As a prequel to “The Chronicles of Narnia” series, “The Magician’s Nephew” follows young Digory Kirke through life with his Uncle Andrew and Aunt Letty, which leads to an unexpected adventure. Digory and his friend Polly travel to a magical realm in which they discover Aslan the lion, ruler of the land of Narnia.

“I think the audience is gonna be impressed and excited by just the spectacle of the show,” said James Embree, who is Ella’s husband and portrays Aslan in the play.

He said Aslan teaches the newly created animals about good and evil and the nature of temptation in Lazy Mountain’s presentation.

“My challenge has been to portray him as strong and powerful but also kind and loving,” he said.

That personality comes out when Aslan urges Digory to confess to his trafficking with the witch, Jadis, and make up for what he’s done.

“I have to challenge him but I have to do it in a way that doesn’t seem like Aslan is a harsh and cruel ruler,” Embree said.

Though plenty of readers take “The Magician’s Nephew” for pure fantasy, Ella Embree holds that the story “contains great significant spiritual truth,” and can impact some people more than a sermon.

“Instead of just saying that God loves you, the story communicates God’s love,” she said.

It also illustrates how seemingly good intentions can go awry, when Digory considers listening to the witch to “save” his sick mother — in doing so, he would disobey Aslan and leave his Polly (played by Leah Smith) behind.

Sophomore home school student David Whipple, who plays Digory, said his character represents “the average man” who sometimes struggles to do what’s right.

“I think (the story) proves the point that we can overcome trials and temptations and that there is good,” Whipple said.

But with good comes evil, manifested in Jadis, played by Christina Wells.

Rather than thinking too much about the deeper meaning of the play, Wells said she simply enjoys expressing her take-charge personality in an interesting character.

“I just think it’s a great story,” she said.

Her husband Steve, who plays Uncle Andrew, said the same, adding that the popular story (and drama in general) can be good for the church.

“I think it’s important for the church to interact with culture,” he said.

Interacting with local organizations is important too, Ella Embree said, and she thanked Valley Performing Arts, Kay’s Costume Rental and Anchorage Community Theater for their assistance with the show.

Lazy Mountain Bible Church is located at 16005 Shawn Dr. in Palmer, off Clark-Wolverine Road.

Contact reporter Caitlin Skvorc at 352-2266 or caitlin.skvorc@frontiersman.com.