Students at Wake Forest High School will present the play “Stuart Little” two times this week, Thursday, Oct. 16, and Saturday, Oct. 18, both at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium.
General admission tickets are $8 and students and senior citizens pay $5.
The play is based on the novel by E.B. White and follows the second son of the Little family who turns out to be a mouse, Stuart, who is sometimes ignored and sometimes bullied because he is different.
Marie Jones, the drama teacher at the school who bills herself as the “Creative Consultant & Resident Unicorn,” said the students began to practice leadership as they explored the parable of Stuart Little.
“E.B. White, noted children’s author, had a hard time finding a publisher for Stuart Little. Unlike his other famous works, Charlotte’s Web and Trumpet of the Swan, Stuart Little tells a different kind of story: a mouse becomes part of a human family, but this mouse has human characteristics as well; he can talk and even drive a car.
However, when viewed as a parable, Stuart Little is a poignantly real story of a small being trying to get along in a world that is much too big for him. Adolescents know that world well – too young to have much of a say and too old for the idyllic security of childhood – they are caught up in a frightening yet exhilarating journey into adulthood.
Wake Forest High School theater students have connected to Stuart Little and the characters in his world by playing multiple roles to create a wide array of characters both animal and human who interact with Stuart during his journey.
One student plays a Pigeon who warns Stuart’s friend Margalo of an impending cat attack on tiny British girl Harriet, who is almost as tiny as Stuart, but they never really connect because they have no common interests other than their small status. Another student plays a Dog who chases Stuart and a shopkeeper who helps Stuart by giving him a car that he can drive. Unlike the movie, the play follows the novel, giving a more realistic portrayal of Stuart Little’s quest to find his place in the world as he searches for his best friend, Margalo.
The stage play, adapted by award-winning playwright Joseph Robinette, is delightfully witty and forthright. Although quite different from the movie, it features the same delightful little mouse who is not afraid to embrace challenges and make friends with others who are different from him.
Beginning actors have enjoyed learning the ropes of the acting trade from their slightly older peers who are directing them in this venture. Director Alyssa Allen (senior) says, “While directing is a challenge and very stressful, it has more rewards than I thought possible. Yesterday at the mall, I ran into Nicole Buxbaum who plays Margalo and her mom. Her mom said ‘Oh, Nicole talks about you all the time.’ Just knowing that she looks up to me means so much.”
Emily Granholm who plays Snowbell says, “I came here not knowing anybody but since being in Stuart Little I have tons of friends who accept me and help me.” Jared Jacobs, who plays multiple character roles notes, “In the drama family there is not one person in this production that I don’t like; everyone is so positive and supportive.”
Assistant Director Rachel Bohannon (junior), and Apprentice Director Idella Johnson (junior) learn leadership skills as well as directing techniques while supervising the production under the direction of theater teacher Marie Jones. Technical Theater students and co-stage managers Jada Hester (junior) and Kira Henkel (junior), along with Apprentice Stage Manager (ian Fonicello, run the technical aspects of the production under the leadership of senior theater student Harry Hawk. All of the technicians are supervised by Technical Theater Teacher Tim Domack.
“Elementary school students are involved too and in the most important part,” says Marie Jones, “they are the audience.” Students from local elementary schools in Wake County will attend a special matinee performance of the show on Thursday, Oct. 16 (This performance is not open to the public). Elementary school teachers enjoy the field trip opportunity, and the study materials provided by Marie Jones and the drama students engage the students in critical thinking exercises.
“Peer teaching is a very effective means of learning,” says Marie Jones. “Research shows that people remember 30 per cent of what they hear and 60 percent of what they see, but they remember 92 percent of what they teach others. Students also retain more of what they learn from people their own age.” Stage manager, Jada Hester observes, “I learned more working character with our incoming freshmen than I learned as a freshman.”
The play is rated G, suitable for all audiences and runs about 90 minutes.
