With their homemade costumes and set pieces ready for the show, 15 Lewis County youths from ages 7 to 17, along with one additional high school volunteer, took to McFiler’s Chehalis Theater’s stage on Thursday, Aug. 21, for a one-time free performance of “The Mystery of Chehalis.”
The production was part of the Dandelion Creative Space children’s theater program. The play’s script was written specifically for the theater program, according to Dandelion Creative Space founder Jennifer Kinsman.
“The story follows four Chehalis youth who set out one summer night to uncover whether the local legends of Bigfoot and aliens are true,” Kinsman said in an email. “With guidance from Grandma Pine, the support of two park rangers, and the wisdom of a mystical bear, their adventure leads them through a trail of clues to a once-in-a-lifetime discovery atop McFadden Hill.”
Youth involved in “The Mystery of Chehalis” included Jude Burya, Tabitha Kimmet, Norra Harris, Olive McCowan, Stephen Shankle, Aaron Pilz, Morgan Hemmert, Cassius Samples, Sabrina Kimmet, Grace Kinsman, Maybelle Sikorski, Arimas Thompson, Isana Thompson, Rhylee Sweetingham, Damon Steen, Claire Kinsman and Bella Eslick.
This is now the second free performance the Dandelion Creative Space children’s theater program has hosted, following the production of “The Bigfoot Who Stole Christmas” last December.
According to Kinsman, work is already ongoing for this winter’s production, and she aims to get local high school students more involved as well.
“We hope to encourage high school students in the fall by hosting a script writing contest. The winner(s) chosen will be one of our assistant directors and we will produce their play for our winter production,” Kinsman said. “Our goal is to get the community excited about the arts and literacy and to bring some fun energy behind it, honoring the ideas of our high school students and including them in the process, I hope will be a very impactful thing for everyone involved.”
Community partners who contribute to Dandelion Creative Space productions include McFiler’s Chehalis Theater, Bigfoot Treasure, PackageHub Business Centers’ Mail Plus Chehalis, the City of Chehalis Parks and Recreation Department and the James Augustus Smith Charitable Performing Arts Trust.
The Dandelion children’s theatre program is a part of Dandelion Creative Space, which was founded in 2022 by Kinsman — a local middle and high school art teacher — to help give both children and adults in the region easier access to supplies and space for the arts.
For more information on Dandelion Creative Space and the Dandelion children’s theater program, visit https://www.dandelioncreativespace.org/ or email Kinsman at info@dandelioncreativespace.org.
