Young Company surprises P.E.I. superfan with special holiday video

You can bet the performers in the Confederation Centre's Young Company have played a lot of different roles in their lifetimes now they can add Santa's helper to their resum.

With a simple video message, they gave a six-year-old Charlottetown girl a gift that she will remember for a long time.

Morgan Saunders describes herself as a Young Company superfan. It all started this summer when the family watcheda free performance of Aqsarniit outside the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown.

"And from the first moment they started, she had this look in her eyes of admiration and joy," said Linda Saunders, Morgan's mother."And every day after that, she asked me to take her again."

The free performance involved13 cast membersfrom across Canada who danced, sang and taught the audience about different parts of the nation's history

For Morgan, it was mesmerizing and she convinced her mother to take her back another seven-and-a-half times.

"The second time I went there, that night, I dreamt of like, myself and [one of the actors]pulling me up on the stage," Morgan said. "Because I loved it so much."

The free outdoor summer performances ended on Aug.18 much to the disappointment of Morgan, who missed seeing the familiar faces.

She continued to ask her mother to see the Young Company again.

"I had to tell her they weren't coming back until next summer," said Linda."So she asked to see them again for Christmas, and I thought, 'Oh dear, this is impossible'."

She reached out to the Confederation Centre of the Arts to see if there was a video of the performance, but was told there wasn't. But, a week before Christmas,the centre sent Linda a 26-second video message from the cast.

"I'm glad Morgan wasn't home because I was so surprised. I actually cried after. I was just so touched by what they did for her," Linda said."As a mom, I couldn't have bought a gift for her at a store that would've meant more to her than this message."

She waited until Christmas to show her daughter.

"It was a big surprise.So we went to the computer, and I had it all ready to go," Linda said. "She watched the message, and the look in her eyes was the same as when she saw the show this summer. She was just so excited."

"My mom said I won't be able to see their faces again.She said it was impossible.But the impossible became possible," said Morgan. "I was so surprised, I almost like, cried.

"I was very happy because I love them so much."

Young Company cast memberGunho Kwaksaid the video message was the least they could do to for someone who sat in the front row so many times.

"Performing this show was hard for us sometimes, as the subject matterwas not easy to swallow [including slavery and assimilation], but people like Morgan made it all worth it," Kwaksaid in a written statement to CBC News.

"She would come to our show so diligently, that I swear she knew the dances better than I did! To see the next generation be so receptive to the message of our show was incredibly uplifting, and we can't thank Morgan enough for her support."

Linda was extremely thankful for the video message from the cast and Confederation Centre.

"They've gone above and beyond, and as a mom, there's no greater joy than seeing your child experience joy themselves.

"I always try to tell my children that Christmas doesn't come from a store.As Dr. Seuss says, perhaps it's just a little bit more. And this proves that."

Morgan said sheconsiders the message from the cast the best present that she got this year.

Watching the young performers in show after show inspired Morgan to take up dancing and fiddling with a goal to one daybe on thestage herself.

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