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| Contributed photo Comfortable in costume for the performance of “Oliver Twist” were Phoebe Solomon and Walker Clark. |
By Natalie de La Garza
Staff Writer
NEW SWEDEN — When third-graders are jump-for-joy excited about the day when they will finally be able to read “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens, something’s clearly gone right.
Students of the New Sweden School not only loved the story surrounding Children’s Stage Adventures more comedic adaptation of the dark classic, they loved performing it.
Two representatives from New Hampshire based Children’s Stage Adventures transformed each student into an actor during their week stay in New Sweden, and every student found a way to enjoy the limelight.
Should science ever need to record the loudest sound imaginable, just ask a room filled with New Sweden students if they enjoyed their time as stars on stage.
“Yes!” they’ll scream in joyous unison.
“You get to wear costumes!” said Jeremiah Holmes, who reiterated how much he enjoyed performing.
“It’s fun to be a different character because you get to try new things and learn how you’re going to have to be in order to be the character,” said Amalla Peterson.
Little Phoebe Solomon had a different interpretation of what she learned through her stardom through the week-long theatrics:
“How to be pretty?” she suggested, a comment that was razzed by her classmates.
“How to be a different person!” she clarified with a great big smile.
“You learn songs, lines, and how to put on costumes,” said classmate Crystal Forbes.
Students agreed that they loved “getting out of class” to attend play practice all week — which clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of some sneaky lessons they learned through the theatrics.
“It gives them an opportunity to do public speaking when they don’t even know that they’re doing it,” explained music teacher for School Union 122 Jennifer Holmes.
Maybe even more important than public speaking, Holmes noted that the event provides students an opportunity to gain confidence.
“Personality really comes out because they want to do their best, so they learn their lines and they know they can do it — there’s that confidence,” Holmes said. “Sometimes they don’t’ always have that, so it’s nice.”
Even quiet students who don’t always get noticed, “they do this week,” Holmes said of the Feb. 13 play.
Teaching Principal of the New Sweden School Laurie Spooner was positively proud of all the stars in her school that worked together to put on a wonderful show — especially the ones who might not always get have an apparent chance to shine.
“Here, every one of them is getting an opportunity to be up there and do something exciting, and hopefully every one of their parents is proud of them,” Spooner said, adding that the play helps each student feel special.
In addition to the beaming smiles, Holmes and Spooner noted that school attendance increased during the week of the show particularly among students who frequently miss days — not to mention the documented benefits of how musical involvement positively effects brain development.
Academic benefits aside, the students simply enjoyed the experience.
“Being on stage is awesome,” Lars Spooner said.
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| Contributed photo Performing in the play “Oliver Twist” were, from left, Maya Peterson, Arianna Easter and Jordon Sandstrom. |
