UNC student directs 'A Little Knight' for after-school children's programs

A UNC student will be showing on campus Saturday his original musical — a children’s fairy tale with a twist.

Company Carolina’s current play, “A Little Knight Musical” was written, composed and directed by junior math and communication studies double major Edgar Harrell.

The show, which is geared toward children, is being performed for after-school programs at local elementary schools for free, in addition to Saturday’s performance at UNC, in Hanes Art Center’s auditorium.

“Even though the show’s directed for children, everyone can find a bit of fun in it,” said Flavia Crovesi, a junior biology major who portrays Lady Katherine.

“We’re trying to make it a tradition,” said producer Sarah Beth Potter, a junior journalism and communications major.

After writing the music for a children’s musical last year, Harrell decided to write his own children’s musical, and “A Little Knight Musical” was born.

“I wanted to continue the tradition and do that again to spread the arts to the community,” Harrell said.

He said he wanted to do a story that children would be familiar with, so he chose a medieval fairy tale.

“I wanted to add something to it,” Harrell said.

“The sheep are the Greek chorus, and there are a lot of sheep jokes in it.”

The musical is about a young knight named Aiden who goes off to fight the green dragon with the help of his friend Blarney, a sheep.

Together, they fight for a princess named Katherine, and they also face the villainous Black Knight.

Harrell spent two-and-a-half months writing the script before he set to work on the score.

“I would alternate between writing the music and the lyrics,” he said.

“It was me sitting at the piano a lot.”

Once he had the cast and crew, he set to work on adjusting the music and some of the lines to fit the actors — a rare process for cast members.

“The opportunity to get to work on a show that was being developed … is an opportunity that’s so rare, I didn’t want to miss out on it,” said musical director Will Hawkins, a junior vocal performance and dramatic art major.

Daniel Doyle, a sophomore dramatic art and philosophy double major who portrays Aiden, said originating a role brought a different kind of pressure to acting.

“You don’t have that creative pressure from playing a role that’s been done before,” Doyle said.

“(But) there is still the pressure that you have to bring that character to life,” he said.

“It’s a chance for the community to come out and see a show that’s written, directed, produced and acted by UNC students … It’s short, cool and fun.”

Contact the desk editor at arts@dailytarheel.com.