There are people who will always find a way to flex their creativity, even during a pandemic, and a young Arkansas actress is a perfect example.
Twelve-year-old Piper Wallace of Conway has landed the role of Little Cosette in a production of Les Miserables.
But, with theaters shuttered, there is a twist.
This version of the musical was made virtually, with actors recording their parts separately, and will debut at 7 p.m. Saturday on YouTube.
Les Miserables in Quaran-Stream is a production of the Los Angeles-based Creative Quarantine and features two dozen actors from across the country in a virtual tribute to the musical.
Piper, whom you may recognize from her appearances in commercials for Mark McLarty Toyota, found out about the project through actorsaccess.com and submitted an audition tape.
"I had seen [Les Miserables], but I have never been in it," she says.
Piper is a stage veteran, having most recently performed in Ragtime at Argenta Community Theater, and is to appear in her first professional role as the title character in Matilda: The Musical at TheaterSquared in Fayetteville next summer.
She was 9 when she played Susan in Miracle on 34th Street at the Red Curtain Theater in Conway.
"I did a few productions before, but that was when I really started loving it," she says. "I love singing, acting and dancing, and I really enjoy working with other people and playing different roles."
For this version of Les Mis, however, all the normal rehearsal protocols were thrown out the window. Actors spent much of March and April recording video of their roles while listening to a music track and imagining they were with their fellow cast members.
Creative Quarantine co-founders and producers Benji Kaufman and Lara Lafferty then edited all of the parts together to create the show.
"I have never really done anything like it before," says Piper, whose parents are Jenny and Cameron Wallace. "It was a fun process, though. I had to have an earbud in my ear so I could hear the music."
Jenny Wallace recorded Piper's performance.
"Piper had to know the songs well enough to know: 'This is where I come in, this is where the other person is going to say this and I run offstage.' It was neat to see all of that come together."
Even at 12, Piper, who is home-schooled, is no slacker, Jenny says.
"Her work ethic is embarrassing. She spends hours studying scripts and loves to memorize her parts. She is so driven."
[Video not showing up above? Click here to watch » https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QInnS_qF34]
And while the Quaran-Stream version of Les Mis has been a unique experience, Piper says she is eager to return to traditional performances.
"I love doing this, but in-person theater and rehearsals are so fun."
email: sclancy@adgnewsroom.com
SundayMonday on 05/31/2020