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St.A’s on a magic carpet ride

St.Augustine School has come together to produce a funny and entertaining version of Aladdin for audiences to enjoy. Lori Kirchner and Pamela Radchenko direct the play with 35 students involved from Grade 7 to 12.

St.Augustine School has come together to produce a funny and entertaining version of Aladdin for audiences to enjoy.

Lori Kirchner and Pamela Radchenko direct the play with 35 students involved from Grade 7 to 12.

Radchenko says that they have fantastic costumes, wonderful sets and incredible singing and thinks people should experience the excitement.

“I think you should let you imagination take flight joining us in the always-entertaining super suspenseful, action of the Arabian nights,” said Radchenko.

She said it was her idea to put on Aladdin because she wanted to do something fantastical. She notes that in the past few years they have done a lot of realistic dramas and she wanted to do something more imaginative.

They started preparing for the play in early Februrary and she says that they have really worked as a team to come together. She says that each of the actors have taken their character and made it their own. Jasmine is played by Grade 11 student Czarina Mendoza, Aladdin is played by Kirby Wolfe, also in Grade 11, the Sultan is Roddy Raine who is in Grade 9 and the genie is portrayed by Katherine Bergum.

“We have taken Aladdin and morphed it and made it a little bit funnier. With a little more pop culture to make it really good. In the gestures there is a lot of allusion to popular culture just some of the stuff that we see every day,” said Radchenko. “The end result is a very humourous portrayal of Disney’s Aladdin, it has a little bit more real life perspective and a little bit more irony.”

She says that the best part has been working with her students because that is who it is all for in the end.

“It promises to be a totally fantastic performance that will make you giggle, the singing is so beautiful it will put a little hitch in your heart and the next minute you will be laughing,” she said. “It is stuff that kids go through, fighting with your parents, love and the kids have really made it their own.”

St.A’s high school gym will be turned into the Arabian nights June 5 at 7 p.m., June 6 at 7 p.m., June 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and June 8 at 2 p.m. when St.A’s presentation of Aladdin promises to take you to a whole new world.