Sonnenberg Children’s Theatre takes ‘Recess’
Need to know
What: Sonnenberg Children’s Theatre presents “Recess!”
When: 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Aug. 10 and 11
Where: Sonnenberg Village, 13497 Hackett Road, Apple Creek (just outside of Kidron near Central Christian School)
Tickets: Tickets are $5. Ages 5 and younger are free. Call 330-466-7439 for preferred seating reservations or purchase at the door for first-come, first-served seating.
More info: Call 330-466-7439. Look for the event page on Facebook.
PHOTOS PROVIDED
Olivia Ramseyer, left, Eden Polen, center, and Briana Reifsnyder, right sing about their favorite subject – recess.
Assistant Director Emily Hile works with the cast of “Recess!” on choreography. From left, Elijah Heatwole, Elijah Polen, Zach Heatwole, Emily Hile, lsaac Holt, Nora Doerfler.
SUBMITTED By CHRISTA WOLF
Sonnenberg Children’s Theatre is gearing up for its first musical. “Recess!” by Keith Jackson, with music by Gerald V. Castle, and lyrics by Michael C. Vigilant will be performed at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 10 and 11.
The musical serves as the kick-off to Sonnenberg Village’s annual Homecoming event at 13497 Hackett Road.
The educational children’s theatre program began three years ago under the direction of Dalton resident Christa Wolf for children and teens ages 8-14.
The goal of this group is two-fold: to instill in young people the basic knowledge and joy of live theatre, and to partner with the Kidron Community Historical Society to provide history-based dramas that both entertain and inform actors and audiences.
Thirteen local youth make up the cast that has been working hard since the middle of June to get ready for the show.
“Recess” is set in an early 1900s one-room schoolhouse, similar to the public schools that were common to this area until the 1940s and are still used by the local Amish today. Two modern-day girls working on a history report for class explore the interior of an abandoned schoolhouse and find a list of rules teachers had to follow. They imagine what it would have been like to be in a one-room school where a substitute teacher is trying to educate a group of under-achieving kids who have their own agenda. This humorous spoof is sure to entertain the whole family while bringing a bit of history to life.
Wolf chose “Recess!” because of the flexible script, cast size, and extra challenge of staging a musical.
“We have some returning actors who I knew could handle the challenge of performing a musical this year,” Wolf says. “Part of what I love about educational theatre is that as I get to know the kids, I can help them showcase their talents. For instance, we have two girls, Olivia Ramseyer and Briana Reifsnyder, who are excellent writers, so they wrote an opening scene that really sets the stage for the play.”
Others are sewing costumes, building props, and painting the set.
“These kids have talent!” Wolf said.
Run-time for the play is a little over an hour. Refreshments will follow each performance as well as the opportunity for a sunset stroll through the lovely Village gardens.
Tickets are $5. Ages 5 and younger are free. Call 330-466-7439 for preferred seating reservations or purchase at the door for first-come, first-served seating.
