Their favourite things

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This article was published 29/11/2023 (706 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When grown-up actors take five, they might check their text messages or head outside for a breath of fresh air.

The kids in Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre’s upcoming production of The Sound of Music? They throw a slumber party in their dressing room.

“During cue to cue, we set up bunk beds made out of chairs, people were sitting inside cubbies, and we used jackets as blankets,” says 12-year-old Alba Manuel, who is playing Louisa von Trapp.

Since being adopted into the famous singing family for RMTC’s holiday season production, the child cast has bonded just like actual siblings. About half of a 30-minute interview with the Free Press on Monday was spent giggling about “jam and bread,” “elephants on whales” and reminiscing about the behind-the-scenes moments they’ll always remember once closing night comes and goes.

Gretl von Trapp almost destroyed a piece of expensive equipment during the first dress rehearsal.

“During intermission, something very funny happened,” says eight-year-old Ida May Meacham, hardly containing her laughter. “I tried to go to the bathroom and my microphone fell down into my shorts. It pulled on my hair and it hurt a lot, but at least it didn’t fall in the toilet.”

Between scenes as Friedrich, 13-year-old Nathan Malolos couldn’t stop falling asleep, according to his little sister Brigitta, played by Layla North.

“Even if it was 1 p.m., he would fall fast asleep,” she snorts. “On the chairs, on the couch, on the bed. He can fall asleep anywhere. He loves to sleep!”

“Who doesn’t, though?” Malolos shoots back.

“I do not,” replies a very serious Xhantelle Garcia, 7, playing Marta.

Alex Schaeffer had a wardrobe malfunction during the dress rehearsal.

“Near the end, I lost a button on my lederhosen,” says the 14-year-old, cast as the 10-year-old Kurt. But he improvised and held up the strap: crisis averted.

Manuel, Schaeffer, Malolos, Garcia, North and Meacham are all part of one version of the von Trapp family called the Strudels, who are set to alternate performances throughout the production with another cast of children, the Ponies.

The Ponies are Micah Buenafe, Isaac Di Cresce, Davison Gee, Anastasia Rautert, Ellie Prescott and Madelyn Torres. Christina Nguyen plays Liesl with both casts.

Some Strudels already knew one another: Manuel and Malolos appeared together in the Rainbow Stage production of The Hockey Sweater, while Garcia and Meacham take lessons together at the Shelley Shearer School of Dance. Schaeffer, a Grant Park High School student, starred in a production of the musical 13 with North’s cousin.

Every day since rehearsals began in October, the Strudels have made time between school, dance class and all their other commitments to fully immerse themselves in the story of the singing von Trapps, the family at the heart of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic musical The Sound of Music.

Each had already seen the movie, which Malolos calls “a very playful story for all ages.” Meacham, who is showing her range by playing a character three years her junior, is a fan of the 1965 film, even if it is a bit of an emotional roller-coaster ride.

“At the start of the movie, things go good, but in the middle, things get a bit badder. Then it gets good, then it gets a bit badder, then it gets badder and badder and badder,” she says.

Each Strudel is excited to make his or her RMTC debut.

“A lot of my teachers are coming,” says North. Her castmates nod: their teachers have been very understanding about their commitment to the show and extremely supportive.

Schaeffer says that’s been especially helpful for him as he navigates his first year of high school.

“I do have an English paper I know I won’t get done,” he admits.

Almost as soon as the Strudels arrive for their interview, they line up at the door behind their supervisors, Kira Chisholm and Devon Helm, contracted by the RMTC to keep the kids under control.

After getting their photos taken on the staircase, the six Strudels wave auf Wiedersehen, and return to the stage for an afternoon runthrough of a show they know they’ll never forget.

ben.waldman@winnipegfreepress.com