Anita Burleson will have some outside help for LB Productions' year-end performance of Mulan.
Sun Ying, a wushu master and long-time Whistler local, will give students in Whistler and Pemberton a few lessons on the martial art to prepare them for their roles. Wushu is a type of contemporary martial art that combines performance and sport.
"We would like to have a few sessions with each class," Burleson says. "It would be great for the show, but my priority is the personal growth of kids, but hopefully the show is fantastic too ... I think it's important to expose them to excellence like this. They're going to get a sense of the discipline it takes to achieve at that high level."
Burleson was on the hunt for a story to write for her spring students when she saw that Disney was releasing a live-action remake of Mulan.
"I was like, 'Wow, that would be cool,'" she says. "So I decided, 'Let's do Mulan as our year-end show.' I sent that out to parents and one of them said, 'My daughter is a wushu warrior! Her teacher might be intersted in helping out.'"
While Burleson and Ying planned to team up with Village 8 for a performance at the opening of the film, Disney recently announced the film's release has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
They hope to perform when the opening eventually does happen, but for now, Burleson is gearing up for her new round of classes, which will culminate in the June 7 year-end show.
While her final script for the musical performance isn't yet written—she likes to write a part for each student and registration is still open—it will loosely focus on the story of Mulan, a young female warrior who goes to fight in place of her father, who is too old, disguised as a man.
"We're really going to stay true to the meaning of the show, which is courage and love," Burleson says. "I might add little things here and there, so each kid has a fun part. I want everyone to have something."
The classes are set to start in Whistler and Pemberton on April 13. Whistler classes take place on Monday with students ages five to nine from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and 10 to 13 year olds from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Teens ages 16 and up will meet on Fridays from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
In Pemberton, ages five to 12 will meet on Thursdays from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m. and teens ages 13 to 18 are set for 5:15 to 6:45 p.m.
Each class rehearses on their own before coming together for the big show. "We work on numbers and scenes in classes then marry it together in the end," she says.
Some of her advanced teen students, who have been studying musical theatre under her for years, also help with the script, she adds.
"They're not just learning to do theatre, but also write and organize [shows]," she says. "They can go on and do similar ventures."
Registration for the classes is currently open with spring sessions starting the week of April 13.
For more information, or to sign up, visit lbpentertainment.com. For more on Whistler Tai Chi Wushu visit whistlertaichiwushu.com.
