Ready…Set..Go!

wagonwheels poster

Wagon Wheels West Poster

One of the things I do here in town is FREE stuff. Lots of it, unfortunately. It can be a bummer at times but usually it’s rewarding… at least in the sense that you feel you’re doing something to make the community better.  This is a great little town and one of the reasons it is great, is the fact that folks volunteer all over the place.

When we moved here 6 years ago, my 4th grade daughter was bummed to have left all her pals in the mountains behind. Luckily for us, we stumbled upon Randolph Youth Theater Company. It’s a great program full of great kids. Bailey met her best friends while participating in plays.

Somehow, I got suckered on to the board and have been involved for the past 6 years, making posters, t-shirts and sets. The thought of designing a set was terrifying to me at first. It seemed so damned BIG. But, once I got my feet wet and while mumbling :hey..it’s just a kid’s play” to myself over and over again, I started to have fun with it.

Wagon Wheels Set Parts

I realized that you can get really loose and cartoony with it and no worries: The KIDS are the important part, the set is simply a pleasant distraction and..sometimes a really corny set actually adds to the fun of the whole production. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve gone overboard in the past but lately, I’ve gotten the hang of it and made it a very low-stress affair.

Wagon Wheels Set Pieces

Using lots of cardboard and staples, some house paint and screws, I can put together a set like this current one in two evenings. It’s like making a giant model.

 

The Set

 

Once the stage is populated by kids, it’s fine and dandy!

If you get a chance, come on by this Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday for one of the performances. Wagon Wheels West is a fun play with catchy tunes and some really good laughs. It’s the second time we’ve done it and the LAST time I’ll be making a set for a while!

The Chorus

Head over to RYTC’s site and check and see if there’s a showtime good for you!

Rich Powell

I'm an artist/illustrator residing in a small, North Carolina town. I worked for a few years as a conceptual artist and art director in the computer game industry but set off on my own to freelance. I currently do humorous illustration and cartoons for publications such as MAD Magazine and Highlights for Children.

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4 Responses

  1. Amy says:

    Awesome set and kudos to all the years that you have spent volunteering in our community. I know that it has made a huge difference and has influenced many young minds…not to mention inspire many others to give back!

  2. Nice work Rich! I look forward to seeing more post and I hope all is well.

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