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by Elizabeth Yates
Brantford Expositor
 The
littlest member of a salty crew of buccaneers who swagger into town next week
will pillage and plunder just one thing: your heart.
Kailee Mitchell is a blue eyed, blonde-haired charmer with an impish smile and a
heaping dose of precociousness. "I'm a superstar' she proclaims during an
interview in which she takes over a reporter's pen and paper and starts asking
questions herself.
Tiny for her six years, the Paris tot is already a veteran of the stage after
appearing in school plays and dance recitals. "I like to sing. I like to dance,"
she says of her role in the eye-patched chorus of Pirates Take Brantford. A
nd she likes 'The Pirate Lady", as she calls Deano Wilson Rouse, the
larger-than-life force behind Talk of the Town Productions. Rouse dotes on her
wee protege, sweeping her up in a huge hug after Kailee delivers a rousing
pirate salute of "Arrggh, mateys!" during a recent rehearsal. It's sweet to see,
as is the affection shown to Kailee by all in the 30-member cast. But, while
cute kids are nothing new, Kailee stands out for many reasons, including the
fact she has Down syndrome. It wasn't that long ago that people with this
congenital condition, which can affect physical and intellectual development,
were shunted aside and housed in institutions.
 Fortunately
for Kailee and her family - mom Parti and dad Bruce, both 44, sisters Kirstin.
16, and Kellsie, 14 - much has changed. Early intervention with speech therapy
and occupational therapy has helped Kailee lead a normal life: she's in Grade 1
at the Paris Montessori Academy and will proceed into the regular school system,
says Patti, a special education teacher at Our Lady of Providence School in
Brantford. "There isn't anything she can't do. We treat her no differently than
our other kids." Once subjected to discrimination and taunts, Down kids are now
warmly integrated into the community, says her mom. Even by pirates. |
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"The minute we brought her on set, all die cast ran
right up to her. They've been so great with her. They're very inclusive." Rouse
actually issued an invitation to the Down Syndrome Association of Brantford and
District, seeking members to join the play. Mitchell had initially resisted,
given the family's busy schedule, but then Rouse met Kailee one day in a
restaurant and issued a personal invitation. A veteran performer who founded
Talk of the Town in 2000, Rouse first began acting as a child in her native
Wales. Her uncle Patrick, now 62, has Down syndrome, sparking a special interest
in those with the condition. "When I was 13 or 14 years old, I'd spend hours
singing and doing shows with them,'' she recalls. "I've just got an affiliation
for these kids, because they're just full of love. "I've never met a Down's
child who isn't happy or who doesn't love to cuddle.
"And many have talent and they want to learn how to act, they want to learn how
to sing and dance." Talk of the Town is all about showcasing local talent, says
Rouse, who has staged sold-out Christmas productions for the past two years.
Like those topsy turvy Cinderella tales, Pirates is a pantomime: a traditional
British farce featuring cross-gender casting, over-the-top antics and lots of
audience interaction. Pantos are a beloved Christmas tradition in the U.K., says
London native Nara Farrell, who portrays the aptly named Johnny Dipstick in
Pirates take Brantford. We're getting an authentic version here, says Farrell.
"This is so traditional, it blows traditional out of the water," says the
34-year-old Simcoe resident. "I hope the audience will be totally participating:
well be leaving big gaps for laughing and shouting — and hissing." A veteran of
local amateur and semi-professional theatre, Farrell savours the chance to play
a guy who seems to have been whacked on the head with a cutlass a few too many
times. "I love my character, I can't help myself: he's just a big, dopey guy.
He's a sweet, loveable dipstick." Loosely based on characters from the hit
Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, the Brantford show will feature Rouse's
trademark gags — with lots of local references — and goofy humour. "There are
lots of laughs," promises Jamz Maher, who portrays Captain Jack Sparrowlegs.
Like the movie's Johnny Depp character, Sparrowlegs is clearly too fond of his
grog, says the 28 year old Brantfordian. And, despite being the hero of the
show, the "tipsy-turvy" mariner finishes off empty-handed. "I end up with
nothing: no girl, no treasure, nothing." Local charities, though, will see a
benefit. Like all Talk of the Town's non-profit productions — which have raised
$60,000 for local charities since 2004 — Pirates is a fundraiser. This time,
proceeds from tickets sold for the 1 p.m. show on Dec. 6 go to help Julia
Gilman, an eight-year-old Brantford girl who's fighting leukemia. Other area
groups will share funds raised by the remaining shows. |
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