Ovation! sets ‘The Wheels’ in motion

Take a seat

“The Wheels on the Bus: A Musical in One Act for Young Ones and Their Families” is at 4 p.m. March 20 and 27 at the Bainbridge Commons.

For more information, visit www.ovationmtb.com.

 

Ovation! Musical Theatre Bainbridge presents two performances of the workshop premiere of “The Wheels on the Bus: A Musical in One Act for Young Ones and Their Families” at 4 p.m. March 20 and 27 at the Bainbridge Commons.

Musical Theatre’s new Director of Music and Education Todd Hulet composed the musical, which features 11 characters split between the talented trio of SueEllen VanDuyne, Myriah Riedel and Carter Kight.

The 45-minute family-friendly production plays off the preschool classic “The Wheels on the Bus.”

Hulet wrote the play at the request of Childsplay Theatre where he used to work. It was looking for a nimble kid’s musical, Hulet said, something that would fit in a “cafeteriagymnauditorium,” the typical multi-purpose room available at schools.

Van Duyne, who’s been seen in both Ovation! and BPA productions, is still developing her characters,  she said, such as favorites,  the teacher Miss Elemeno (P) and storeowner Joe.

Kight, who shined as The Emcee in Ovation!’s “Cabaret,” is tinkering with a variety of accents to differentiate his five characters.

Riedel plays Kaiya, the protagonist named after Hulett’s niece.

“My mom is a professional singer, so it runs in the family,” she said at Wednesday’s rehearsal.

The “Wheels on the Bus” is Hulet’s second musical.

Admission for each performance is by donation.

 

Contact Bainbridge Island Review Staff Writer Connie Mears at cmears@bainbridgereview.com or (206) 842-6613.

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