Stanwood contributes to KIDSTAGE ‘Seussical, Jr.’

At far right, Stanwood’s Linda McAllister plays Mr. Mayor, along with Madeline Coiley as Mrs. Mayor and Delaney Guyer as JoJo in the Village Theatre’s KIDSTAGE Ensemble production of “Seussical Jr.” at the Everett Performing Arts Center April 15-18. An 11-year-old from Stanwood and a Camano Island artist have contributed to Village Theater’s KIDSTAGE production of “Seussical Jr.,” which plays at the Everett Center for the Arts this weekend.

Linda McAllister plays Mr. Mayor and Elizabeth Stam designed the sets.

A home-school student, McAllister started acting classes with the Village Theater’s KIDSTAGE program in 2005. She debuted on stage in an opener for “Honk Jr.” and performed with Stage Too, at the Lights of Christmas in 2007 and 2008. In 2008 she was Annie in a musical review, her favorite role to date.

“I did a summer camp in 2007 then started up classes again with VT KIDSTAGE in 2009,” said the daughter of Marie and Michael McAllister. She was in the chorus of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” in 2009.

McAllister was glad to get the part of Mr. Mayor.

“I was surprised because I was called back for Horton or Mrs. Mayor. I get to wear a red bowler hat.”

McAllister said that her mother tried three different hairstyles before they found one to fit in the hat.

“Because my Dad said ‘no’ to a boy’s haircut,” said the young actress.

“It’s a challenge to sound like a man, especially when the character is supposed to be angry. I end up laughing and sounding too much like a girl,” she said.

Meanwhile, set designer Elizabeth Stam juggles two homes and more than two jobs between New York City and Camano Island to keep herself and her daughters inspired and satisfied.

She and daughter, Caitlin Kinnunen, set up a small apartment in midtown New York when Caitlin was offered a part in a Broadway musical. She played Thea in “Spring Awakening” July 2008 to January 2009.

When that gig ended, the family decided to stay in the Big Apple, seeking more parts. Caitlin started auditioning for all kinds of things, Stam said, and scored a lead in a film that is due out soon. Directed by William J. (Joe) Saunders, “Sweet Little Lies,” was filmed in six weeks last summer. Saunders won an Emmy for a football film, Stam said.

Kinnunen, her sister, and her mother got started in theater through SKY Theater.

“I was terribly shy and could not stand up in front of an audience,” Stam said.

“I was determined my two girls would not be like that.” So she signed them up for acting classes.

A talented artist herself, Stam soon found herself volunteering to help design and create sets for SKY, and she followed its founder, Kati Nickerson, to Everett’s KIDSTAGE in the mid ‘90s. She has been designing sets and costumes ever since. She has also designed sets and costumes for META Performing Arts in Mount Vernon and Northwest Civic Light Opera. Stam has a full time job teaching medical transcription to students around the world via the Internet for Everett Community College.

“I have to have a job,” Stam said from New York Friday.

The sets for this “Seussical Jr.” evolved from an earlier production of the same show.

“We used pieces from other VT productions to meet this director’s vision,” Stam said. The show uses the staircase from VT’s recent “Meet me in St. Louis.”

Caitlin, who has been home schooled all her life, is currently working on finishing her GED, “along with lots and lots and lots of auditions,” her mom said.

Her sister, Julia, now 21, has applied to study at the International Center of Photography in New York.

While Stam is busy taking care of family, and holding down her “day” job, she is also doing some design work on that coast.

“In February I worked on a production of ‘Stuart Little’ for a new theater in West Hartford, Conn., called Playhouse on Park, for which she borrowed a few costumes from KIDSTAGE.

Directing “Seussical” is Krystle Armstrong, the lead in Village Theatre’s Mainstage production of “42nd Street.” She has taught many classes for KIDSTAGE, but this is the first time she is directing.

“Seussical” was created by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Eric Idle, based on the writings of Dr. Seuss.

The show runs April 15- 18 starting 7:30 p.m. Thursday - Saturday with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets at the EPAC Box Office, 2710 Wetmore Ave., Everett or call 425- 257-8600.

For information see www. villagetheatre.org.