By Reader Staff
French novelist Alexandre Dumas published The Three Musketeers in 1844, and the adventures of Athos, Porthos and Aramis (plus D’Artagnan) have yet to come to an end through hundreds of adaptations in books, song, film and stage.
Now, audiences are invited to experience the classic characters at the Panida Theater, with performances Friday, Aug. 8 and Saturday, Aug. 9 of The Three Musketeers and the Very Pretty Diamonds.
Presented by the Panida, Pend Oreille Arts Council and Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theatre, the stage play features 31 students ages 8-17 who took part in the three-week LPO Rep summer theater camp, during which they learned about auditioning, blocking, line memorization, sets, props, costumes and more.
Taught by LPO Rep education Liz Iha, the students will put on the modern English pantomime in all its farcical charm, with slapstick aplenty and over-the-top characters. Set in the 1620s in France, many of the names will be familiar — from the titular kings’ guards to Cardinal Richelieu, Milady de Winter and Rochefort (none of the latter three very savory types) — but other players will be fresh, including some sillier than others.
This adaptation is geared toward younger performers — from grades 3-9 — and was written by Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.-based David Neilsen, an award-winning author of books for young readers and plays for children’s theater.
The production is full of laughs for audience members of all ages, and organizers stated that the LPO Rep students will bring all their energy, creativity and joy to the stage.
The Friday, Aug. 8 performance begins at 6 p.m., followed by a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Aug. 9. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime, and tickets are $22 for adults and $11.50 for youth for both performances, available at panida.org or the box office at 300 N. First Ave., in downtown Sandpoint.
For more information on LPO Rep’s productions and other programs, go to lporep.com.
