Last summer, we put on a theatre production of The Wolfwalkers, a film which is the third part in director Tom Moore’s “Irish Folklore Trilogy”. As far as we are aware there hasn’t been a kids production of this film in existence yet. As the cast of all girls showed up on the morning of the first day and shyly smiled at one another while setting their shoes and lunch boxes in a row, we knew there would be something special and magical about this week of Handmade Theatre. The actors fiercely took to their roles during the week, delivering lines with passion and conviction, becoming their characters much to the teachers’ delight. Letting out howls in unison, grinning at one another slyly, they melded into their very own wolf pack in front of our eyes.
The pack, surrounding mama wolf Natalia.
By the end of the week, we were all entirely swept away by the magic of the story. The girls hummed “Running with the Wolves” by Norwegian songwriter Aurora, in between scene rehearsals. The teachers were able to sit back and watch with that time-honored enchantment unique to theatre. We spent the evenings hanging foliage and flowers from the ceiling, painting a mural with giant moon, stars, ferns, and vines, to frame the actors on the stage. They spent an afternoon weaving ribbon, small daises, and lavender, into flower crowns that many of them brought back and wore steadfastly throughout the week.
On the last day, after film day, we all gathered around and got “initiated into the wolf pack” by the directors. Each girl received a packet of information about a wolf family member we had adopted on their behalf from the California Wolf Center. They were quiet, feeling the sacred space and honoring the beauty and symbolism of the moment. We bid them farewell on that bittersweet Friday, knowing they felt newfound wonder in their hearts, enthusiasm for the earth and nature, and with the knowledge that they had found a community of friends that would last in their memories forever.