The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe onstage at the JRT

Published 2:50 pm Tuesday, April 11, 2023

By Pam Johnson

C.S. Lewis’s beloved characters Aslan, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy come to life on the stage April 14 – 30 in Jonesborough Repertory Theatre’s upcoming production of The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe.

The story follows four young siblings who must flee the bombings and horrors of WWII London and are sent to live with a professor in the British countryside. There, they discover a secret passage in a wardrobe that opens into the magical land of Narnia. The children’s exciting encounters with characters such as Aslan the lion and the White Witch teach them deeper life lessons about love, betrayal, forgiveness, and sacrifice. Their adventure has been popular with readers and audiences for 70 years and never grows old.

“C.S. Lewis wrote a timeless story,” said Angela Grigsby (White Witch), “about faith, growing in strength, forgiveness, the dangers of temptation, and the victory that comes from self-sacrifice. Those themes will never become irrelevant.”

“The same story is being told,” said Nora Jane Mitchell (Lucy), “because the world is still in need of hope that evil can be overcome. There are still ‘white witches’ in this world today, and I hope this story is a reminder that even when it seems like there is no hope, Aslan is on the move.”

In this fantasy world of talking animals and magical creatures, Aslan is King, but while he’s away, Narnia has been cursed by the evil White Witch, who has caused an eternal winter. She has declared herself the Queen, but because she’s aware of a prophecy concerning human children bringing her reign to an end, she’s on the lookout for any who enter the land.

“This is the story of four young people,” said Kevin Bowden (Aslan), “in a scary and confusing time, who are trying to find safety and meaning and purpose and hope. They find all of those things (and more) in the land of Narnia. Specifically, they find all of those things in Aslan, the King of Narnia. Aslan is hope to the hopeless. He is courage to the fearful. He is a protector to those who cannot protect themselves. He is trustworthy and stable and wise and kind. He is willing to sacrifice himself to save others (even those who seek to betray him). This world we live in today needs an Aslan. Perhaps more than ever.”

“Aslan represents the good,” said Karsyn Potter (Susan), “and the fight for peace and forgiveness. Aslan’s selflessness is an example to us all. Unlike Aslan, most people today can be greedy and pursue things they want, rather than sacrifice themselves to save others.”

There is so much to learn about life and mistakes and consequences through this story. Not only for the viewers, but for those in the show as well.

Teddy Nadelen (Edmund) said, “Through my character, I’m learning that sometimes making the wrong decisions ultimately makes us stronger in the end by learning to make better decisions and doing what’s right.”

Grigsby agreed. “The forgiveness shown in the show to Edmund is such a great lesson for children and adults. People make mistakes but can change for the better with love.”

“It’s no small secret,” said Bowden, “that C.S. Lewis wrote this story with Aslan representing Jesus Christ. I hope that my portrayal of Aslan will help people see Jesus in a way maybe they haven’t. I hope that He is someone they want to know better and that they fall in love with. I hope that people will find comfort and encouragement.”

“The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe is the resurrection story from the Bible,” said director Janette Gaines. “What better time to share it than Easter time? The story is one of hope. No matter what is going on in the world (in the story, London is being bombed during WWII), you can overcome. No matter how many mistakes you have made (Edmund makes his fair share), you can be forgiven. I absolutely love sharing this message!”

This play, dramatized by Joseph Robinette, is directed by Janette Gaines, assistant directed by Angela Grigsby, and stage managed by Emma Perry. Rounding out the cast are Annika Beatty, Dave Bernhardt, Elyse Browning Weir, Lucy Carver, Aubrey Christie, Jackson Coches, Alyssa Curtis, Paul Detling, Julie Anne Dugger, Sydney Gourley, Ryan Gray, Fritz Hagemeier, Ella Harper, JJ Lane, George Leonard, Tristan Matthews, Scottie Moore, Catherine Oakes, Caroline Peccia, Jaemily Pelton, Emily Pogue, Michael Rees, Sarah Robinson, Jonathan Schmidt, Zetta Schultz, Gage Watters, Daniel Wells, Grace-Marie Wells, Zephaniah Wells, and Cloe Welty.

Sponsors are Pamela and Dan Pope, Ignacy Fonberg, and Sonia King.

Shows run Thursdays through Sundays, April 14 – 30. Tickets are $18 general admission, $16 for students and seniors. There is also a special group rate for parties of 15 or more. To purchase tickets, call the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center at 423-753-1010 or go online to jonesboroughtheatre.com. The theatre is located at 125.5 W. Main St., Jonesborough.