Prepare to get schooled: BPA Theatre School’s pring showcase is a serious study in hilarity

Published 11:58 am Saturday, May 30, 2015

You already know somebody’s going to get hurt.

In fact, as soon as ol’ Humpty Dumpty gets up on that wall, his fate is pretty much sealed.

We all know the story.

Or do we?

Did Dumpty merely “fall” from his precarious perch? Was there a more nefarious plot afoot?

And what of the witnesses?

The classic nursery rhyme conveniently leaves out the presence of Little Jack Horner, Jack and Jill, One Eyed Jack and a myriad of other magical characters who were there at the time of the egg’s “fall.”

What really happened that day?

The answers will surprise and entertain you in the Bainbridge Performing Arts Theatre School’s production of “The Dilemma of Humpty Dumpty,” one of two shows to be featured in the upcoming double feature 2015 Spring Showcase.

The second show, “Sideways Stories From Wayside School,” is a wacky portrait of a day in class at the weirdest school you’ve ever heard of. Students are being turned into apples, there’s a phantom cow lurking in the halls that nobody wants to acknowledge, the teachers keep disappearing and that’s just the start of the craziness.

The 32 young thespians featured in the showcase range from grades 2 to 7, each with varying degrees of performing experience. The younger crowd (grades 2 to 4) tackled the frenzied fairy tale of Humpty Dumpty, a play interspaced with musical versions of beloved nursery rhymes, and the older students (grades 5 to 7) went back to school to tell the Wayside story, a surrealistic show which combines slapstick and word play.

Zandi Carlson, BPA’s director of education and director of “The Dilemma of Humpty Dumpty,” said she was incredibly impressed with the progress the students had made and was looking forward to putting the final touches on the show in time for opening night, 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 2.

“These shows are shaping up to be the funniest BPA Theatre School shows to date,” she said. “This is the perfect show for the whole community to come share in laughter together.”

In fact, the idea of community is one of the driving forces behind the Theatre School program, Carlson explained, both in uniting people in the audience and in the cast through a universally enjoyable, positive experience.

“There’s this sense of community working together,” Carlson said. “That’s one of the things I love about theater over other art forms, is the process is collaborative and you grow as an ensemble and you get to know each other as individuals as these characters build relationships, and that’s really positive for me in such a digital, isolated world.”

The skills one learns participating in theater, especially at a young age, Carlson explained, translate well to many aspects of professional and adult life and will benefit the students even if they decide not to pursue more advanced acting projects.

“Theater auditions are way scarier than any job interview that you’ll ever have to go to,” she laughed.

“These kids are really good at thinking as actors,” she added. “They’re really interested in the process of creating these stories in addition to the final product.”

Transferable skills and experiences from the theater include feeling comfortable and in control of your body, being confident, listening, taking direction, making bold choices and being collaborative, Carlson said.

Clare Willmes, 9, who plays Humpty Dumpty, is returning to the theater school for her second show. Her favorite part of this production, she said, is actually one of the easiest.

The role is definitely all that it’s cracked up to be, no doubt.

“I honestly like standing on the wall,” she said, adding that it’s fun to be taller than everyone else.

The big finale song in which everyone sings, she said, is her favorite song in the show.

Trey Field-Bennett, 9, also returning to the BPA stage, said that he enjoys the funny parts of the show the best.

“My favorite part is when One Eyed Jack is sticking her tongue out at me and I’m not looking, and then when I turn my back she just freezes up and pretends like she’s not doing it,” he said.

Field-Bennett said that the most important things for a kid to know if they want to be a good actor are that it’s important not to be overconfident right away and also to “be prepared for anything and have a fun time.”

Willmes agreed, adding, however, that the actual most important thing is to “remember your lines and stay in character.”

Delaney Taylor, 13, who plays the newest member of the teaching staff at Wayside School, said she enjoys the absurd and unpredictable nature of the showcase’s second offering.

“I kind of just like the whole thing because it’s just super wacky and different from other plays that I’ve done,” she said.

Bentley Eldridge, 12, who co-stars in the second show, said that the things he’s learned participating in the theater have really helped in him school.

“You can use your acting skills if you’re doing a presentation or something at school,” he said.

The 2015 BPA Theatre School Spring Showcase will take the stage for two shows, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 2 and Thursday, June 4 at Bainbridge Performing Arts. Tickets are $10 each ($5 for seniors, youth, students, military and teachers). BPA is located at 200 Madison Ave. North.

Visit www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org to purchase tickets and to learn more about this and other upcoming performances.

Young actors shine

What: 2015 BPA Theatre School Spring Showcase.

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 2 and Thursday, June 4.

Where: Bainbridge Performing Arts (200 Madison Ave North).

Admission: Tickets are $10 each ($5 for seniors, youth, students, military and teachers); visit www.bainbidgeperformingarts.org to purchase.