Chattanooga Times Free Press - ChattanoogaNow
TAKE A CHRISTMAS VISIT TO NARNIA
Actors of Back Alley Productions will take audiences on a Christmas visit to Narnia when “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” opens Friday, Dec. 6, for two weekends of performances.
The classic C.S. Lewis fantasy details the magical adventure of four children in the land of Narnia.
Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie are evacuated from London during the Blitz and sent to live with an old professor in the remote English countryside. While exploring the professor’s mysterious house, Lucy enters a magical wardrobe that connects her to a snowy wooded area in a magical realm called Narnia.
It’s here she learns that an evil spell has been cast by a witch, keeping Narnia in an endless winter with Christmas never arriving. Only four children from a prophecy — like the Pevensies — can break the spell and return the kingdom to the rightful ruler: a heroic lion named Aslan.
“We’ve wanted to bring this classic story to the stage for a long time,” says director Kaylee Smith. “Now felt like the right time because of the holiday season, the right actors — everything just came together.”
“This story has spoken to so many people through its Christian allegory and message, as well as its pure fantasy,” she said. “It touches on so many important ideas: the effects of war, the importance of faith and family and the ultimate victory of sacrificial love.”
Smith notes that despite an adaptation to stage, the source material is still intact. Smith says that while certain changes have been made for the stage, the heart of the story remains pure.
“Our goal is to make you believe in Narnia,” she said. “Whether you’ve never picked up the book or you’re a die-hard fan, this production will sweep you into a world unlike ours, where a magic spell has cursed us in an endless winter, animals talk, four children face their destiny against the White Witch, and a lion named Aslan is on the move to restore his kingdom.”
For more information: 706-621-2870.