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SUN THISWEEK - Burnsville - Eagan January 17, 2014 15A

Thisweekend THE FORCE WAS WITH THEM

There was no shortage of eye-catching sci-fi costumery at the Star Wars Extravaganza held Saturday, Jan. 11, at the Steeple Center in Rosemount. Hosted by the Rosemount Area Arts Council and the Robert Trail Library, the event included a kids costume exhibition and family photo opportunities with characters from the 501st Legion, a volunteer group of characters from the popular George Lucas film series that’s set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Far left: Princess Leia was well represented at the event, with Robert Trail children’s librarian Kathy Kleckner, left, and Tamara Scott of Rosemount coming dressed as the sciencefictional princess;. Top: Characters from the 501st Legion in attendance included Imperial Stormtroopers and even a Tusken Raider. Near left: Kids were encouraged to come dressed in costume and have their photos taken with Darth Maul and other 501st Legion actors. (Photos by Andrew Miller)

Young actor adapts to the jungle

Eighteen-year-old Landon Franke is cast as the titular ape-man and Claire Vietti, 15, plays Jane in Children’s Castle Theater’s production of “Tarzan.� The musical runs Jan. 17-26 at the Lakeville Area Arts Center. (Photo submitted)

Farmington HS 12th-grader cast as lead in ‘Tarzan’ SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

In his first leading role, Landon Franke finds himself swinging from vine to vine. The Farmington High School 12th-grader plays the bare-chested title character in Children’s Castle Theater’s production of “Tarzan,� which runs this month at the Lakeville Area Arts Center. The part requires a good deal of physical exertion, and the high-energy Franke, adorned in a dreadlock wig and loin cloth in the show, is up to the challenge of playing the jungle-dwelling apeman. “It’s quite an experience because there’s a lot of movement – swinging on vines, handstands, cartwheels, somersaults,� he explained. “It’s actually really fun.� “Tarzan,� adapted from the Broadway musical of the same name, is Franke’s fourth show with Dakota County-based Children’s Castle Theater. Joining

him in the 130-member cast are some familiar faces – his dad, Curtis, is cast as an ape, and his twin siblings Ramsey and Brielle, both 15, play baby Tarzan’s mother and father. The family has been preparing for their parts in the show together, Franke said. “We’ll sit in the living room and read lines together,� he said. “And over Christmas we took a road trip to Duluth and threw in the ‘Tarzan’ CD – we rocked out to ‘Tarzan’ in the car.� Franke got his start in theater his freshman year at Farmington High School with a part in “The Idiot’s Guide to High School.� He took to theater immediately and has regularly appeared in shows at the school, most recently the fall 2012 production of “The Music Man.� “When I got to high school and found theater, it was like, ‘Hey, this is for me,’ � he said, adding that he hopes to continue acting next year when he be-

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gins attending Concordia College in Moorhead, tentatively planning to major in vocal performance. “Tarzan� runs Jan. 1719 and 24-26 at the arts center located at 20965 Holyoke Ave. in downtown Lakeville. More about the show, including ticket information, is at www. LakevilleAreaArtsCenter. com. Email Andrew Miller at andrew.miller@ecm-inc.com.

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by Andrew Miller

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