If the famous puppet-theater scene in The Sound of Music warms your heart, there’s a good chance you’ll find solace in Lyric Opera’s Amahl and the Night Visitors.
The production pairs live singing and music with the puppetry of Paul Mesner, and follows an impoverished, disabled boy who encounters the Three Kings on their journey to Bethlehem.
Audience members will have the opportunity to hear the voices of the two young performers in the leading role of Amahl. 14-year-old Delilah Rose Pellow of Lee’s Summit, Mo., will voice Amahl on December 2, 4, 10, and 12, and 14-year-old Finn Kuykendall of Kansas City, Mo., will perform on December 3, 5, 9, and 11.
Delilah Rose Pellow
From Broadway to national tours to local theater, you’ve already done so much for your age. What do you feel like you have to learn from veteran performers, and what have you been able to teach them?
I’m new to opera so the adults there have been teaching me so much. Opera is very different from musical theater. I’ve learned from a very young age how to be professional. I feel like adults don’t always look forward to working with kids, so hopefully, I’ve been able to teach them that kids can be professional too.
Besides the traditional Christmas tale that inspired the show, where do you pull inspiration from to play Amahl?
I get lots of inspiration from watching the puppets during rehearsals and noticing the way they’re feeling. I learned how to ‘feel the words’ so to speak, and connect with what I’m singing. I played Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol at the KC Rep, and there are similarities between Tiny Tim and Amahl: they are both characters that make you have hope during the holidays.
As I was reading through the in-depth guide The Lyric put together on the show, I came across this line: ‘Menotti specified that Amahl was to be played by a boy, not as a “trouser role” for a woman.’ What’s your take on that notion, and how does it feel to break those boundaries and be a young woman in the role?
Times have changed since 1951, and I think it’s time to break those boundaries. I’ve been lucky to play many boy roles. I even played two boys on Broadway in Anastasia! Gender shouldn’t matter as long as whoever is playing the character loves it and can really connect with the role.
Finn Kuykendall
While you’re a relatively young actor, you’ve had such a variety of experiences in performing arts with the locally-based performing arts school Stage Right Performing Arts. What do you feel like you have to learn from veteran performers, and what have you been able to teach them?
Every time I sit and listen and watch the other singers and puppeteers, I learn how good they are and how much work they had to put in to get to where they are. I have learned so much about body movement and stage presence from them. I hope my excitement as a newcomer has been a cool contribution to the show. I hope I’ve made it clear to the veteran performers that I am absolutely loving this experience and opportunity.
“Amahl and the Night Visitors” is your first professional performance outside of Stage Right, yes? How has this experience with the Lyric Opera impacted where you want to take your performing career?
Yes! This experience at the Lyric Opera has definitely inspired me to keep doing theater because I’m very passionate about it all. I love to sing and would be thrilled to keep performing and to make this my career.
Besides the traditional Christmas tale that inspired the show, where do you pull inspiration from to play Amahl?
I’m usually a very happy and excited person like Amahl. The puppets also inspire me. As for the Christmas story, I love that Amahl gives his homemade crutch to the child—I love giving and receiving gifts for the holidays too. I really like the show isn’t a well-known story, but still has the theme of giving gifts and helping people.
From Gavroche in “Les Miserables” to Horton in “Seussical”, you’ve played vastly different roles. Which one has been your favorite, and what’s the best memory you have with that character?
Gavroche in Les Miserables. The cast was so talented and super fun to work with. It was actually the first show I was supposed to be in, but due to COVID, it was delayed.
These interviews were lightly edited for length and clarity.