The excitement is building as the North of Boston Arts Center (NOBAC) enters the final weeks of rehearsals before it presents its third youth-cast production, “The Tale of the Oysta: A Seafaring Whoops!,” at the Pingree School in South Hamilton, MA, on December 9 and 10 at 7:00 PM and on December 11 and 12 at 2:00 PM. In the past year, the NOBAC brought the North Shore its youth productions of “The Magic Flute” and “The Aristocats,” but this show is a little different.
“The Tale of the Oysta: A Seafaring Whoops!, “was not written by Mozart or McGowan & Rowe, but by its cast of 5 to 13 year-old children. Henry Allen, the NOBAC’s perennial show director, united these young talents in a summer playwriting workshop and guided the writing of the script. Bonnie Rynkowski, the NOBAC’s founding director, served as choreographer and music director. According to both directors, the kids took the reins.
“Today’s children are two or more generations removed from the Great American Songbook,” says Henry Allen. “Much of this music was born out of a time of economic depression and war, and so we find that the songs have as much relevance and freshness today as they did 80-plus years ago. It was amazing to see the excited reaction the children had to this music when introduced to it for the first time! They took to it immediately, and created a wonderfully clever show born completely out of the music. The North of Boston Arts Center is committed to keeping this uniquely American art form alive and vital to our culture, and it starts at the foundation. It starts with our children.”
Inspiring the story itself, the great music of Cole Porter and George & Ira Gershwin is woven throughout this jazzy nautical tale of Shelly Oysta – a poor girl who dreams of a better life aboard the glimmering yachts of Cape Ann. In the NOBAC tradition, the cast will be accompanied by professional musicians, headed up by North Shore jazz great Nat Simpkins.
The world premiere of Oysta will be at Pingree School, 537 Highland Street, South Hamilton, MA, with performances on December 9 and 10 at 7:00 PM and on December 11 and 12 at 2:00 PM.
For more information about The Tale of the Oysta: A Seafaring Whoops!, or our NOBAC A.S.A.P. (After School Arts Program), contact NOBAC at 622-228-0033 or visit www.THENOBAC.org
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