Young performers bring magic to the stage in ‘The Claw’

An entire toy world comes to life this weekend as Roaring Fork Valley’s young performers step into the spotlight in Theatre Aspen Education’s latest musical production.

The children’s musical “The Claw” will be performed nightly at 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 24 and 25, at the Aspen District Theater at Aspen Elementary School. All of the performers are in second through sixth grade.

The musical follows toys that spring to life when an out-of-order claw machine unexpectedly awakens. While the Flair Bears, Mighty Mutant Power Turtles, and Beanie Elders want to be the “chosen” toy, Dot, the stuffed cow, finds the outside world too scary.

“‘The Claw’ challenges us to search for hope, even when the future is unclear,” Director Alicia Millerson said. This is a theme brought to life through the students’ “imagination, teamwork, and fearless creativity,” she added.

The play comes from the collaborative minds of Denver Casado, Jessica Penzias, Kerry Kazmierowicztrimm, Christyn Budzyna, and Jack Mitchell.

Fifth grader at Aspen Middle School Ivy Noble, who plays Aiden the Dragon, said the production is another step toward her acting dreams.

“I love acting because it’s really fun being able to have so many different emotions,” Noble said.

Another Aspen Middle School student, Paulina Quintero, who portrays the lead character Dot the Cow, is a Theatre Aspen veteran. The fifth grader has had previous roles in shows including “Seussical Jr.,” “Addams Family,” and “Finding Nemo Jr.” 

“My favorite thing about ‘The Claw’ is how many people are there to help you and support during your time here and the games we play and how much fun we actually have in rehearsal,” Quintero said.

She also happy to have made new friends while practicing for the one-hour production.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and youths. The venue is located at 199 High School Rd. For more information and tickets, visit theateraspen.org.

Aspen Arts & Culture
Your weekend guide to art, music, and local happenings.

Sign up for our Arts & Entertainment Weekend newsletter at AspenTimes.com/newsletter