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Community Entertained by School Play 'Metaphasia'
Ms. Allen, an elementary language and arts teacher at Mackinac Island Public School and long-time director of school plays, was happy with how well her actors performed for the large audience. "One princess had stage fright before going on to the stage," she said. "She turned out to be the most energetic one in the play. That's what I love about doing this; I enjoy watching these students grow and see their self-esteem and confidence grow.
"Metaphasia," an updated contemporary musical from the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale, "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," is a story about young Angie Anderson, who was played by fifth-grader Adrienne Rilenge, who keeps finding worn shoes scattered around her room every morning. While investigating, as she peers into her closet, she is magically transported into the fantasy world of Metaphasia, becoming part of a sinister plan of the wicked Princess Devilla (Pam Finkel), who plans to escape Metaphasia by collecting 13 dancing princesses, with Angie the last one to complete her set. Angie's younger brother, Howie, played by fifth-grader Paul Wandrie Jr., makes plans to save his sister. "Metaphasia" was one of the more fun plays she has directed, said Ms. Allen, because it included all students from fourth through seventh grade and required special casting. "Anytime you get to crossdress, it's going to be fun," she said, speaking of actors like fifth-grader Colton Fisher, who played an Asian princess, fourth-grader Jacob Chambers, who played a ballet princess, and high school social studies teacher Seth Baker, who played the singing guardian of fantasy. Costumes were gathered from the school's props room, made by parents, or purchased. Ms. Allen set up a curtain made of dark sheets on a wire that hung across the school's multipurpose room, transforming the small room into Angie and Howie's bedroom and the fantasy world of Metaphasia. Trying to keep more than three dozen actors and actresses quiet behind the curtain while the play was being performed was the hardest part of the production, said Ms. Allen. "Keeping students quiet, in general, is hard enough," she noted. The cast, which included several adults, including Ms. Allen, practiced three nights a week, and squeezed in more rehearsals during school and between extracurricular activities when possible. The play included a lot of dancing and singing, including many solos. "A lot of people say there's no way they're going to sing, but they just do it, and they did," Ms. Allen said. "They are very talented, eager kids," she said of her young cast. "Every year they get better and better."
Those who attended the play the first night were treated to a lasagna dinner and brownie ala mode from the eighth grade class. Proceeds will support the Class of 2011 senior trip. |
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