Local nonprofit theatre group acts out ‘The Frog Prince’

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Published: May. 22, 2023 at 3:17 PM CDT

Westlake, LA (KPLC) - The doors opened at Westlake High School for the classic tale of The Frog Prince acted out by student actors.

“Our mission is first of all educational theatre, to teach them how to act, to teach them technique, backstage behavior, backstage techniques and so then comes performance but we’re actually an acting school that teaches students first and foremost how to act,” Kerry Onxley said.

Onxley is the artistic director at the Children’s Theatre Company.

He said preparation for the play was done primarily on the students’ own time.

“These students only meet on Mondays and Wednesdays so a lot of the time has to be on them and their parents to study their lines at home,” he said. “So it’s a very short amount of time that they’re putting in studio time.”

He said kids from all over the area seek out this opportunity.

“We have students who have come from as far as Lafayette and even from the Beaumont area,” Onxley said. “We just use the Westlake High Theatre for our performance space.”

Students not only learn skills to use on stage, but off stage too.

“Responsibility of getting their costumes together, putting makeup on their own after we’ve taught them the technique<” he said. “Certainly, sending their props, getting ready for a performance through either studying their lines or studying notes, just a little bit of time management and responsibility that we hope contribute for the rest of their life not only in theatre or performance but their everyday life.”

The Children’s Theatre Company will be hosting several summer camps for aspiring actors. To learn more, CLICK HERE.