By ADIA REYNOLDS
Tiger Media Network
Hays Arts Council is presenting Noel Gaulin’s “Call of the Wild” today at 9:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. in Beach Schmidt Performing Arts Center. Jack London’s classic tale will be brought to life through a multimedia adventure that mixes classic storytelling with projected illustrations to tell the story of Buck during the great Klondike Gold Rush. The performance is free and open to the public, but will also be shown to fourth and fifth grade students in Hays.
Brenda Meder, the executive director of the Hays Arts Council, takes great pride in providing enrichment for elementary aged students through the venue of the performing arts.
“By the time these kids move into middle school and high school, they’ll have seen up to six performances at the Beach Schmidt Center,” Meder said. “That way, they’ll have exposure to the arts, and can hopefully choose to continue engaging with it as adults.”
As a supplement to the performance, the schools participating were provided with detailed and artistic study guides that lead students through the main themes of the story as well as information about the author, Jack London. Students will use this as an opportunity to learn more about classic literature and the historical relevance of the Gold Rush through the furry friend leading the story, Buck.
The multimedia presentation of the classic novel crafts a unique experience for the audience. Three screens are positioned behind Gaulin—the chief and only actor on stage—as he narrates and plays characters when appropriate.
“The style is on purpose — the one-man-show style makes the audience use their imagination,” Gaulin said. “I wanted to bring back an essence of storytelling, the storyteller around the campfire vibe.”
Mender emphasized the importance of performances like Gaulin’s.
“It’s not just performance—it’s history, it’s social studies, it’s literature,” she said. “It’s a trifecta of education and entertainment that goes beyond children’s entertainment. This is a show for everyone.”
More information can be found at the Hays Community Calendar.
The Hays Arts Council’s presentation of “Call of the Wild” was made possible through grant funding from the Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas, as well as the Hansen Foundation, with performance space support from Midwest Energy.