Listen to the Story….A Year in Theater
by Jessie Grant
If stages remember, and I think that they do...
Our Vinalhaven Stage can tell a story or two...
Of steps that we've taken and things we have learned...
As we sang, signed and recited, real self-confidence we have earned!
The youngest among us - grades two, one and K
Have learned that being in theater is much more than play!
They have climbed upon platforms, changed sets by moving flats,
And created show-time costumes using wings, goggles and hats.
They’ve used ferocious Frankenstein arms to do the “Monster Mash”,
And chased many a tiger, though it may seem quite rash.
Using rusty-trusty telescopes, exploring dark caves,
They tiptoed by elephants, and swam deep river waves.
They swatted jungle mosquitoes, climbed hill after hill…
They’ve been brave tiger hunters…UNTIL
The tigers decided they would be chased no more.
And the children ran home, giggling loudly - slamming the imaginary door!
In winter, the stage became a farmyard and our little ones became ducks
They hatched with sister “Ugly”, who made honks, not quacks or clucks.
The Hens, the Turkey , the Cat, Mother Duck Katherine and Father Duck John
Had no idea that this very ugly duckling was really a swan!
Soon down by the creek-bank, “Ugly” met new froggie friends
Who assured her that everything would work out in the end.
In their best froggie voices they croaked and they called,
“Someone’s gonna love you, warts and all!”
Like in most children’s stories that come to life on stage
Funny things happened that were not written on the script page.
The way Father Duck John cowered behind one duckling child as she squirmed and wiggled.
The entire group of ducklings could not hold back their giggles.
Our stage has more stories from grades three, four and five…
Like joining their K-2 partners to bring colors to life!
Using musical “Fireworks” and luminous sticks that glowed,
We made colors dance like magic while our pictures we showed.
And with John Lennon’s music and our students K-5…
We used American sign language to bring “Imagine” alive.
We sang and we signed lyrics from a time long past
When young people sang of world peace that would last and last.
And then as we read the stories of Theadore Geisel, (Dr. Seuss)
He captured our imaginations setting Horton the elephant loose!
Our very own elephant tried to rescue the Who’s on the clover
And tried to hatch a huge egg before the play was over!
You see the Cat in the Hat was stirring up trouble
And our young man, JoJo, had stepped up on the double
To “Think All the Thinks He Could Think” in this tangle of Seuss storie
And follow poor Horton as he dealt with his worries.
The Wickershams had snatched the clover with Who-ville inside
And the tiny little Whos took a life-threatening ride.
While Maize and the Birdgirls convinced good-hearted Horton
To sit on the egg in her nest while she was off cavortin’!
And Gertrude McFuzz spent song after song, trying her best
To get Horton to notice her and leave Maize’s nest.
But Horton was busy listening to the Who’s and did not hear her
Even though her heart beat so loudly when Horton was near her.
So Gertrude was determined to sprout such a feathery tale.
That she could not be resisted by this mere Horton male.
But Gertrude discovered that the fluff did not make thing right
And she had to give the tale up if she was to take flight.
In the end of the story, the Seuss characters had worked their thinks out
And the Elephant Bird had hatched and was flying about.
The students and Ms. Campbell created the Jungle of Newel and Horton’s nest
Our Seusical, the Musical, was truly the best.
Middle school students worked with stage make-up, props and set design
To explore the theatrical careers they may someday want to find.
They provided support as the back stage crew
And executed set changes, not an easy job to do.
In front of the curtain, middle-schoolers built a lovely, stone castle
Where a fairy tale Prince was trying to avoid the hassel
Of finding and courting a princess to marry
But his Fairy God-father would not let him tarry.
Meanwhile, the Bad Fairy was angry with the King and his Queen
And had sworn to bring them sadness like no-one had seen.
Despite all of the ways the Good Fairy tried to protect her
The prick of a poisoned roses thorn managed to infect her
With a magical sickness that was so complete
That the entire kingdom fell fast, fast asleep
The King and the Queen, two jesters, and the guard
Fell fast asleep throughout the castle and about the court yard.
The ladies in waiting snoozed through a series of naps
While the Bad Fairy set for the prince a series of traps
The King had feared this fairy could do something awful…
But this meanest mean curse was down-right unlawful!
As fairies in fairy tales are prone to do
Lots of magical creatures joined the story too
A troop of the Bad Fairy’s minions were forced into the light
By a bevy of Fairies in Waiting who danced into the fight.
All ended nicely for the Princess and the Prince
And the Fairy Godfather and Good Fairy have lived happily since
The Bad Fairy and her meanness has been driven out
And all she can do is grumble and pout!
I hope you have room for three high school stories
As we share with you here two plays and months of Glee glories.
It has been quite a year for these talented performers
Who performed from the North Pole to Cuba , where the weather is warmer.
In case you missed our Glee, we will recount some of the fun.
Our 12 member group has worked hard from day one.
“You Can’t Stop the Beat” when young people dance and sing
And when couples learn choreography that rocks, then everyone swings.
We danced and we sang for the Empty Bowls night
Doing our part for the community’s continuing fight
To take care of our neighbors and less fortunate friends
Until generous gifts can make all hunger end.
“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” was our song to greet winter’s chill
And ice on the street where Glee danced caused more than one spill.
But cold brings Christmas, and Christmas means lighting a tree
Glee sang for the tree lighting, we were one with our community.
The parade along Main Street gave Glee another audience to greet
And they sang and they danced, sliding but staying on their feet.
And as much as dancing on ice can be dangerous and scary
That is nothing compared to Trey’s impression of Mariah Carry.
So huddled together for warmth and for fun
We sang last and best for an audience of one.
Sweet Tessie smiled as we sang just for her and her mother.
She warmed up our hearts with a smile like no other.
And finally the Community Christmas Show gave us the chance
To put on our jammies and join the younger folks to dance.
We all wished happily and loudly for a hippotomus from the jolly old elf
But Santa just chuckled and smiled to himself.
If you are still listening for the stories that our stage can tell
We mustn’t forget ones that William Shakespeare told so well.
Six boys, 37 plays and 90 minutes of banter from the Bard
Who knew that performing Hamlet backward - really FAST - could be so hard?
When dear William sat long ago with a quill in his hand
We are quite certain he never envisioned anything nearly so grand
As a trio of actors sporting Converse shoes and golden bling
Busting a move to the Othello Rap as they dance and sing.
But our year on the stage could not be complete
Without a musical to free the voice and challenge dancing feet.
So we decided to deliver as the peak of our season
The show “Guys and Dolls” just for fun – a wonderful reason
To gather some gamblers, some mobsters and some great Zoot suits with stripes
Add a few missionaries, some great music and the situation is ripe
For a comedy that introduces Nathan Detroit and Miss Adelaide, too;
Sky Masterson and Missionary Sarah who must deal with a few
Problems that come with really good guys on both sides of what’s legal
And Leiutenent Brannigan who watches the gamblers with eyes of an eagle.
We learn that Miss Adelaide has developed a cold – the worst kind
While her Nathan is desperately scouting locations, hoping to find
The best place for his craps game to make lots of money
But Big Julie loses his cash and “don’t think that is funny!”
So Benny South Streets, Brandy Bottle Bates, and Scranton Slim
Join Rusty Charlie, Nicely-Nicely and Nathan to play all night with him.
Sky Masterson’s in town and he accepts the bet of his life
That he can take this doll Sarah to Havannah without making her his wife.
And just as it looks as though Sky will win his bet and skip town
He discovers he really loves Sarah and wants to stick around.
But to win Sarah’s heart and save her grand father and the mission
Puts Sky in a gamblers high pressure position
To roll the dice once against the souls of his friends
He has promised the general twelve souls by nights end.
So he takes off the fedora, rattling the dice from left hand to right
And asks that his old friend “Luck, be a lady tonight!”
Sky wins the bet and the gamblers and their dolls are required
To attend a midnight prayer meeting in which Nicely Nicely is inspired
To sing of a dream that would keep the prayer meeting afloat
He rocked the mission house with “Sit Down, Your Rockin’ the Boat”
Convincing the General that he was not evil - no need for alarm
As he leapt sang and he danced and jumped into her arms.
Miss Adelaide is in tears because she thinks Nathan is lying
And she fears her dreams of five kids and a home are slowly fleeting and dying.
But her love and her patience brings a wedding in the end
An announcement to her mother she can now truthfully send!
The Hot Box girls are now bridesmaids at the wedding
But what happened to Sky and Sarah – Are you forgetting?
Well don’t worry for everything is right mid the panic and laughter
The guys found their dolls and lived happily ever after!
And the curtain comes down on an amazing year on our stage
Special thanks to Bill Chilles and Rhoda Boughton for the sets that together we made.
And as we pack up the props and turn out the lights
We can still hear tapping feet dancing if you listen just right!
Vinalhaven School Drama, 2010-2011