Carbonado student body collaborates on production
Published 1:32 pm Thursday, December 11, 2008
By Brenda Sexton, The Courier-Herald
When students of the Carbonado Historical School District finished their two-act musical performance of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" recently, the crowd, much to the students' surprise, gave them a standing ovation.
"That shows you your hard work paid off and that you really gave them a show," Carbonado teacher and drama director Penny Frame told her young charges.
In Carbonado, the annual musical production, is a schoolwide effort.
"Everyone is part of the project in some way," Frame said. "It's a fabulous thing to watch 180 students work and perform together."
As in former years, the middle school students - about 70 strong, from grades six, seven and eight - are divided into four groups: drama and vocals, sets, props and production (lights, sound and special effects). The kindergarten through fifth-grade students provide the voices for the 10 songs, which this year included solos by Mollie Hanson, Chanel Sutphin, Mercedes Jones, Mollie King and Danielle White.
The team effort extends to the staff as well.
Each teacher had a specialty to teach and head. For example, Paula Visnaw was music director, Signe Lukasiak headed the props, Ali Jay took over sets and Joe King was in charge of production. The rest of the staff had a role, too, like paraeducator Holly Barrett and friend Jamie Lee who handled drawings and design.
"It takes the effort of the entire school staff, too," Frame said.
The different groups worked since January to perfect their craft. They dedicated two days a week during a 45-minute class time.
"Not to mention the countless hours after school collecting props, reviewing lines and creating sets," Frame said.
It all paid off at show time. The performance, which covered three stages, was seamless - not one student, Frame said, needed a prompt.
"It was awesome," she said.
Billy Clinkingbeard and Christina Ziemer narrated the production as Sam Clemens and Mark Twain, respectively.
Mollie King assumed the role of Tom Sawyer.
"She did such an excellent job," Frame said. "And for a girl to play a male role, she was a true actress."
Sawyer's friends Huckleberry Finn and Becky Thatcher were played by Travis Hickle and Danielle White.
Mollie Hanson played Aunt Polly. Chanel Sutphin portrayed Mary. Mercedes Jones was Sidney and Tanner Wate rounded out the main characters as Ben.
But, Frame said, what the students learned is that it takes everyone, in every role, to pull off a production worthy of a standing ovation.
She said audience members were amazed with how the non-speaking characters were so believable in their roles.
"The education piece is seeing that even a minute job is needed," Frame said. She pointed out students found out that an extra was just as important as someone with 50 speaking lines, or the scene doesn't come together without someone creating and turning the sets.
"And they're proud of it when it all comes together," she said. "They have to work together or it would never work. It would never be the production that it is."
Frame said the students also learned to support and compliment their peers.
"I think they were impressed with their own professionalism," she said.
Brenda Sexton can be reached at bsexton@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald
