The children’s show is an annual production that Wakeland Theater presents for hundreds of second graders. This show is eagerly anticipated by children who are interested in theater or just enjoy fun and kid-friendly plays. This year Wakeland Theater performed a play from Judy Moody and Stink and the Mad Mad Mad Mad Treasure Hunt, which was directed by seniors Kelsey Rayer and Zoe Buckley.
Although it was fun to put on this production, there was a significant time crunch, as production began directly after the musical White Christmas. Having only two months to put on the play was more stressful than anticipated, but the cast and crew managed it well. On top of supervising the play, the senior directors had to keep up with their schoolwork as well.
“My senior schedule is pretty busy, but I’m lucky enough to have good teachers that work around my schedule, so I appreciated them for that,” Rayer said.
When picking a show to present to the kids, the seniors decided which would be the most entertaining and amusing. The second graders are very easy to entertain, but the difficult part is keeping them engaged. However, all the funny bits and interactive scenes ensured the kids had a great time.
“The best part of a children’s show is hearing the kids in the audience get excited and laugh. I think that the most fun part of being backstage is that we can hear them, and I think it’s really cute,” junior costume lead Ayanna Hemani said.
There was so much thought and effort put into making this production special for the kids, from the facial experiences to the very unique costumes, but the cast and crew were rewarded with laughter and smiles from the children.
“My favorite part of the children’s show is seeing all the second graders walking out after they watched the show. I feel like we’re doing good getting the younger generation involved in the performing arts,” junior Kennedy Spurger said.
The children’s show is a wonderful tradition that is by far one of the most memorable experiences of the year, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year!
