The curtain might have closed on the Candlewick Players’ run of West End musical The Prince of Egypt, but the fond memories and bonds forged in the process will not be soon forgotten by its cast and crew.
A childhood favourite brought to the stage
Director Richard Klassen had been eyeing the recent West End musical for a Candlewick production due to its status as a childhood classic for some: “There was a number of people who are, like, ‘We gotta do this, just because it’s a favourite’. They grew up watching the cartoon, or course, and the music in it... is so powerful.”
‘Lo and behold, I got the role’
It was Augustus Sanders’ first ever foray into the stage, making his debut in the leading role of Moses— a role his sister had to convince him to audition for. “She’s like, maybe you could go for Moses. I was like, nah, there’s no way I could get that. So, I auditioned, and lo and behold, I got the role.” As for Sanders’ experience on the stage so far? “It’s a lot of fun” Sanders shared. “When you’re watching you see how much fun the actors are having...for me, when I first watched these kinds of productions, I wanted to be on stage.” Sanders added: “now I am, and I love it.”
From brotherhood to angst
Liam Klassen is no stranger to the Candlewick stage, playing the lead of Quasimodo in last year’s production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Returning to the stage this year as Ramses II, Liam spent time examining the dynamic his character had with Saunders’ Moses: “It’s similar to the movie, but it has its little bits of differences, which is really unique and cool” shared Liam.
‘It’s really cool just working with such talented cast and actors’
When reflecting on his own highlights of the production, Liam added “Oh, one hundred percent the cast.... I think of [Augustus], who plays Moses.” Liam went on: “He’s kind of like my counterpart. Seeing the first act of the friendship... then that changes in the second act to angst. It’s really cool just working with such talented cast and actors.”
With a run of six shows over two weeks, and rehearsal before that, it’s surprising that there was time for cast and crew bonding— but for Addy Nichol, whose ninth birthday fell the day before production’s opening night, there was even time for birthday cookies. Shared with her fellow cast, Nichol said that the cookies “... were chocolate chip. I made them, and we made like six batches of them because there’s a ton of people in the play... they were for my birthday!”
The power of live theatre
With the work put into a show, it can be easy to forget that eventually, there’s an additional element in play: the audience. Joel Klassen has been involved in many Candlewick productions and shared that what makes the experience memorable is the people watching it, especially on opening night. “You start to hear all the reactions, all the laughing.” Joel added, “You start to realize which lines are actually funny, that you’ve been hearing these lines for two months.”
“Suddenly you’re feeling that energy coming off the audience, and it just feeds into the energy of the cast onstage...It’s like nothing else, and that is the power of live theatre.”
‘Just try it’
Like his father, Joel, Milo Klassen has been involved in numerous Candlewick productions, with him taking on the role of Aaron while also being a member of the unique dance corps onstage. “We’ve got a dance corps that’s almost acting as sets, and kind of a setting, for a lot of the show” Milo added: “My favourite scene is... where the plagues are getting sent on Egypt.”
As for those who are unsure if the stage is for them? “Just try it” Milo shares. “You can always have a small role... having a small role is really rewarding, you can be in the background and be doing your thing.”
Missed The Prince of Egypt? Richard Klassen shared that there’s always something coming at Candlewick, along with a 25th anniversary in 2027: “We are looking at something big (for) that year...Keep an eye out,” Richard added “we’ve got a Christmas dinner theatre being planned, and Valentine’s being planned... there’s a lot of really cool things that I’m excited about.”
To stay up to date with all things Candlewick, check out their website or Facebook page.
