SOUTHAVEN -- Now that auditions are behind them, director William Bailey and the eight members of DeSoto Family Theatre’s student touring company
are getting acquainted as they prepare for their first production this spring.


“We had our first get-together a couple of weeks ago,” Bailey said. “We got to know each other and tried to decide what our goals are for the
group.
“I feel really fortunate,” he continued. “We’ve got a good group of kids in it.”
The company, under Bailey’s direction, features eight 10-13 year olds who took part in an audition screening in November. According to Bailey, who
also serves as DFT’s artistic director, competition for the youth group was very intense.
“It was really, really tough casting the kids because we had too many good kids to choose from,” Bailey said with a smile. “We were looking for kids who
were true triple threats — those who were proficient in singing, dancing and acting.
“One of the kids has been in almost every single thing we’ve done,” he added. “We also have a kid who’s never been in a DFT production.”
Rehearsals are scheduled to begin in January for the group’s first performance, a production of the musical “SchoolHouse Rock Live! Jr.” The
company will make its public debut with the play this April at the DeSoto Civic Center Theatre.
“‘SchoolHouse Rock Live! Jr.'’ is based on the educational cartoons from the 1970’s and 1980’s,” Bailey explained. “It’s been turned into a
musical.
“The way the troupe works is we try to be very accommodating to the fact that these kids have really busy lives,” he continued. “We’re starting
out rehearsing after school in mid-January, for three days a week. We’ll also have some intense one-day sessions.”
In addition to performing at the Civic Center Theatre, Bailey said he plans to schedule shows at other locations around northwest Mississippi.
To that end, all the props and sets have to be portable so they can be easily broken down and reassembled at different sites.
“I want to take our shows on the road,” Bailey observed. “I want to take it into the schools and travel it around because it really gives the kids
the opportunity to perform for a wide range of audiences.
“DeSoto Family Theatre started out as a youth theatre,” he added. “Catering to youth is still a big part of our mission. This is an educational outreach for us and a great opportunity for the kids who are in the group.”
For more information about the youth troupe contact DFT at (662) 342-0084.

Jamie Mercer/Times Staff

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