An unusual event is coming soon to Bear Creek Nature Center, just in time for Halloween.
“Ghost Fish: The Legend of the Lake,” is slated for Saturday, Oct. 22.
Billed as an “interactive theater hike,” the production is designed for elementary-age children and their families, and it features whimsical and magical characters – mermaids, pirates, puppets, magicians and a fish that makes wishes come true.
Audiences numbering 15 people or fewer will move from scene to scene along the nature center trails while the actors in each scene will remain in place, greeting a new audience every 15 minutes. Shows run for approximately one hour.
Created by Melissa and Stephen O’Rear when they founded Theatre Across Borders two years ago, “Ghost Fish” is the second of the theater company’s productions. The first, “Magic of the Marsh,” was staged in 2020.
That show proved so successful (tickets sold out before it opened) that the couple decided to continue developing the show model this year. The new production is scheduled to come to the Bear Creek Nature Center after a two-week run at Fountain Creek Nature Center.
The decision to create a theatrical interactive nature hike was made in 2020 when COVID-19 was spreading throughout the country, Melissa O’Rear said.
‘The pandemic was underway and theater productions were being forced to shut down. Indoor gatherings of people were severely limited, and masks were everywhere. We asked ourselves, “How can we get people, especially children and families, outdoors and in small groups to watch a show?’ It was a tough environment for the theater community.”
However, after the couple forged an agreement with the county’s nature centers, the show went on.
Melissa, who holds a master’s degree in educational theater from New York University and currently teaches art integration to elementary education majors at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, said the show purposely focuses on young children and their families.
“Theater can be highly instrumental in teaching life skills to children, skills that include teamwork, creative thinking, taking risks and developing confidence,” she said.
“Ghost Fish” employs the talents of 14 actors from cities along the Front Range who auditioned for their roles.
“Sections of the story were written to specifically include the skills of some of the cast members,” she said. “For instance, one of the actors, Julie Talty, is a stilt walker, so we wrote a part for her as the Sun. Cindi Parr does magic tricks so we included a circus theme.”
Other members of the cast and production crew include puppeteer Katy Williams, who helped co-direct the show and operates the Ghost Fish, and Ryan Wilkes, who performs in costume as a sea monster.
“There’s something for everyone,” O’Rear said.
She went on to explain that props for the show were purposely kept to a minimum, and the actors will use the nature settings to help tell their stories.
Theatre Across Borders also will collaborate with Colorado Springs School District 11 this year for a project titled “Science to Stage.” Fifth-graders will give input about a scientific subject and a play will be written for professional actors to perform for district elementary students.
“Our partnership with D-11 has been really strong, and we hope to expand into other districts in the future,” O’Rear said.
If you go
Pre-register for “Ghost Fish: The Legend of the Lake” on Oct. 22 at Bear Creek Nature Center, 245 Bear Creek Road, at www.theatreacrossborders.com/ghost-fish. Tickets are $15: children younger than 2 free. Times slots available every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a maximum of 15 people in each group. In case of inclement weather, the show will be presented at a later date.