Merlin the Magician and a young boy named Arthur are sparrows watching two knights prepare to do battle in a meadow during a scene from "The Sword in the Stone," an Imaginary Theatre Company production. In the play, Arthur later becomes King of England, thanks in part to Merlin's life lessons.
Knights, a magician, fish and birds all took the stage during a performance of “The Sword in the Stone” at Hazelwood Southeast Middle School.
The Imaginary Theatre Company, which is part of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, put on the performance as part of its literature-based production for sixth grade students. The 45-minute show starts by introducing the audience to a baby and a special sword. A man in robes inserts the sword into a stone and tells the audience only the rightful future king of England can remove the sword, and that he believes the baby will grow up to be that king.
In the next scene are Kai and his younger brother, an orphaned squire named Arthur, a young boy of 12. The boys joust with swords as Arthur helps Kai train to become a knight. Even though Arthur is better with swords, horsemanship and most everything else, he is too young to be a knight.
Merlin the Magician knew Arthur would go on to be king of England, but before he could ascend to the famous halls of Camelot, he had to learn how to be a successful ruler. Merlin appears to Arthur as such a mentor and he knows Arthur’s destiny. Merlin uses his powers to show Arthur the magic every living thing possesses.
Using the four elements – wind, fire, water and earth – Merlin tells Arthur to choose one for their first lesson. Arthur decides on wind, so Merlin makes them both into sparrows and they fly about the countryside. While they flit overhead, they see knights battling with swords. Arthur thought at first they were merely training until he saw some knights injure the others; it was war.
“Might makes right,” Merlin tells Arthur, believing that only the strongest survive.
In another of Merlin’s lessons, he changes he and Arthur into fish and they swim in the moat that surrounds the family castle. Here, Merlin warns of a large pike named Spike, voiced with a distinct Cockney accent, who controls most of the moat. Arthur encounters the predator fish with the toothy grin and he soon discovers a ruler needs brains as well as brawn to lead.
Other characters include the girl who would later become his wife, Guenever. Her father arranged with Arthur’s father for her to marry Kai. Guenever is not interested and as she wails her discontent, Arthur comforts her, gaining an unwitting new admirer. Merlin then arrives with a lesson about fire and a fire-breathing dragon; fire can be found in the heart of a man in love as well as in dragons.
Soon the war reaches the castle and Kai is called to fight. As Arthur helps him prepare, he accidentally forgets Kai’s sword. Merlin allows Arthur to see the sword in the stone and in his haste to help Kai leave; Arthur yanks the blade from the rock. As soon as he does, the soldiers disappear and the war and the play end as Arthur becomes England’s rightful new king. He weds Guenever.
After the production, the actors answered questions about acting and the production from students. Students wanted to know why Lakeetha Blakeney played a man’s role (Kai). After explaining it’s not unusual in theater for men and women to play opposite gender roles, they explained that in the middle ages women were not allowed to be actors, so when there were female roles, men played them. One student asked if King Arthur was real. Alan Knoll, who played Merlin, replied that while it’s doubtful that Arthur ever ruled a kingdom, he did exist and he was a charismatic leader. Knoll said if Arthur were alive today, he would probably be a politician. Laurie McConnell played Guenever’s role and voice Spike the Pike.
The boys and girls wanted to know if the swords are real. Jerome Lowe, who portrayed Arthur, said they are actual broadswords but the edges are purposely dull so no one is injured during the play. One girl asked if it was really hard to pull the sword from the stone. Knoll explained the reality behind the fantasy and demonstrated that a hole had been cut in the “rock,” which is really wood, for the sword and the actors pretend that they either cannot remove the blade or that it is difficult to release the weapon.
“The Sword in the Stone” was written by Kathryn Shultz Miller and directed by Jason Cannon. Brown Shoe Company and the Monsanto Fund serve as its major sponsors. 
Actor Lakeetha Blakeney gave Hazelwood Southeast Middle School students and staff members an up-close look at the "fire-breathing" dragon costume she wore during a scene in "The Sword in the Stone," an Imaginary Theatre Company production.