BEING A DRAMA KID

By Abby Carlyle and Laurie Bigham

Many kids have dramatic ability, but few have the opportunity to develop it and be encouraged in it. I’m fourteen, and Shoestring Productions Theatrical Troupe has given me the opportunity to express myself through acting. (I go into Drama Withdrawals when I haven’t been to class for awhile!)

I, and about 25 other “drama kids,” belong to Shoestring Productions in Medford. It provides a Christian environment where people, ages 9 to 19, learn basic acting skills. (The majority of Shoestring’s kids are home-schooled, but private or public-schooled students are also welcomed.)

Our director/person-who-keeps-us-in-line is Jeannie Everingham. Jeannie started Shoestring Productions in 1993 when her children told her they wanted to do a play for Talent Night with Jackson County Home Educators. Everyone loved it, and Jeannie decided to produce a play again the next year and invited more kids to join them. The idea just kept growing, and Shoestring Productions has put on about 25 plays since then. Shoestring’s mission statement is this: “… is to provide a safe, secure environment in which young people can experience all aspects of theatre. They will be able to develop their social skills, public speaking skills, and creativity as well as a confidence in their own abilities, skills, and talents.” Jeannie really lives up to this philosophy. I love watching new kids come to class for the first time. The best part is seeing the change in the most shy ones. In only a few weeks, they’re totally comfortable being up in front of a large group. Jeannie is very encouraging, but she’s not afraid to push us to the absolute limit of what she knows we can do.

At the moment, Shoestrings Productions does not have a permanent home. Cornerstone Christian Church has been very gracious to let us practice in one of their youth rooms, but we hope to have a place someday where we can work consistently on an actual stage.

This season we will be performing E.B. White’s Stuart Little (adapted for the stage by Joseph Robinette, and produced by special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois). The play will be performed Friday, April 25, at 7:00 PM and Saturday, April 26, at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM at Cornerstone Christian Church, 608 Bartlett Street in Medford. General admission is $8.00, students and seniors(62+)are $5.00. Tickets will be available at the door. For more information, call 941-0167 or 301-9717.

Stuart Little is the timeless tale of a remarkable little mouse who is born into a typical New York family. The play will star Reid Arthur as Stuart, Aaron Hreha and Melissa Camden as Mr. and Mrs. Little, and Lauren Greene as Narrator.

Another important part of the evening’s entertainment will be the 15-20 minute live commercials after the intermission. This year’s commercials were written and directed by Laura Hreha and Laurie Bigham. The theme is a Mayberry-like barbershop. The cast will sing rewritten 1890’s songs to advertise our Front Row Sponsors.

Jeannie says, “Stuart Little is a family oriented play, and all ages will enjoy it. It requires much diligence on the part of the cast because they each play several characters. They’re going to do a great job and are working very hard on it. It really is a blessing to be able to do plays with these kids.”

It’s a blessing to work with Jeannie and our other helpers. It’s a blessing to be a “drama kid.” For more information contact Laurie Bigham at (541) 734-0516.

Abby Carlyle and Laurie Bigham write from Medford, Oregon.