Approximately 40 students from grades four through eight have spent recesses and some periods after school over the last few months organizing, rehearsing and preparing props for this year’s production of the musical entitled “The Castaways”. The play addresses some critical social issues including homelessness and compassion. Through a series of flashbacks, the story follows modern-day students as they explore the issue of homelessness and isolation, examining the memories of one of their grandmothers who spent some time in her childhood living on the street. The story highlights the importance of helping one another, showing how a group of homeless children (the “castaways”) band together to survive on the street and find loving homes through the outreach of a group of caring adults in the community. Consistent with the lesson of compassion, the admission fee was a donation for the local food bank.
Under the leadership of Kindergarten and Reading Recovery teacher Melanie Martin, the students assumed responsibility for all aspects of the production, from stage hand to prop preparation, performing and prompting actors with their lines. Grade six student Michael Field enjoyed the experience, embracing his role as a police officer and delivering his lines with an Irish accent. Playing one of the leads, Allison exhibited poise and confidence, attributes n doubt enhanced in her previous acting experience. Preferring to remain outside the spotlight, Sierra acted as Assistant Director, keeping students organized.
Several snow days during the week of the performance cut short the preparations for the play, but the show proceeded as planned, to rave reviews. Minor glitches are part of the process, and learning how to recover from a misstep is an important lesson to learn.
Staff director Melanie Martin was very pleased with the performance, expressing pride in every participant, from actor, director, singer, stagehand, and set designer. She explained, “Things almost always ran smoothly and when they didn’t, they recovered with amazing talent and grace!”
Delivering a theatrical performance like this is an enriching experience where students learn a variety of lessons and the feedback is tangible – they can hear and see the results of their efforts and feel the excitement on the stage, in the audience and in themselves. KG
