The Yocum Institute for Arts Education is thrilled to be a featured partner program in the Berks Jazz Fest line-up with Jazz Fest for Kids, The Boy At The Edge Of Everything. Internationally award winning Australian playwright, Finegan Kruckemeyer’s busy, time bending world is brought to life by a cast of regional talent led by Owen Asztalos as Simon, the Boy at the Edge of Everything and Kate Pistone, as Boy at the Edge of Nothing. Our young theater and music lovers will be transported through a wonderfully weird improvised Jazz Fest feature using a soundscape to travel from home, to school, to the soccer field, to outer space! All created by the acclaimed jazz musician/ composer, Chris Heslop with NY based Nathan Bellott. The Boy at the Edge of Everything is most appropriate for ages as young as 7 through adults.
The Boy at the Edge of Everything introduces us to; in the middle of his over-scheduled 12-and-a-bit-year-old life, Simon Ives who dreams of a place where he can just stop and be. Meanwhile, at the farthest point in the universe, The Boy at the Edge of Everything lives by himself, lonely and bored. When Simon is rocketed into space (through an unlikely series of events involving ‘lots and lots of fireworks’), their worlds collide and neither will ever be the same.
Artistic Director, Beverly Houck says, “I had the honor of meeting Fin (Kruckemeyer) years ago, and after seeing an early draft of Boy at the Edge, I fell utterly in love with this show. I am beyond thrilled to finally bring this piece of theater that reminds us how connected we are, to our home community. Taking Fin’s poetic words in collaboration with Chris Heslop and Nathan Bellott’s space-agey music is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Adding in the fabulous mixed age ensemble cast of 5 has created the perfect atmosphere for incredibly joyful theater making.”
Showtimes:
- Sat. March 25, 2023 at 11:00 AM & 3:00 PM
- Sun. March 26, 2023 at 2:00 PM
Theater: Yocum Institute for Arts Education, Schumo Theater
3000 Penn Avenue, West Lawn PA 19609
For Tickets: Purchase tickets online at YocumInstitute.org, stop by the Yocum Institute front desk at 3000 Penn Ave, West Lawn or call 610.376.1576. Jazz Fest for Kids: The Boy at the Edge of Everything (ticketleap.com)
Students & Children Ages 3+ $10; Adults $15; At the Door $18
The Artistic Team:
- By Finegan Kruckemeyer (https://finegankruckemeyer.com)
- Beverly Houck, Director
- Chris Heslop, Composer (chrisheslop.com)
- Nathan Bellot, Musician (www.nathanbellott.com)
- Brett Buckwalter, Lighting Design
- Martha VanKouwenberg, Costumes
- Alexandra Matthieu, Stage Manager
- Jeff Cusano, Production Support
Cast:
- Owen Asztalos, Simon Ives- Boy at the Edge of Everything (credits include films:Hillbilly Elegy, Diary Of Wimpy Kid Series, …)
- Kate Pistone, Boy at the Edge of Nothing
- Andrea Hart, Mom/ Chloe
- Jerone Darden, Dad/ Michael
- Oliver Houck, Louie/ Artie
Production Sponsors: Reading Musical Foundation, Stabler Foundation, Arethusa Designs
