Fourth-graders will perform "Nick Tickle, Fairy Tale Detective" at Woodland School Tuesday.
By: Audrey Levine
MONROE Goldilocks walks into the detective’s office and tells him she is being framed.
She did not eat the bears’ porridge and she did not sit on their chairs. The bears did not find her lying down on their beds, as they have accused her of doing.
This manipulation of the classic fairy tale is just one of many twists in "Nick Tickle, Fairy Tale Detective," a play that will be performed by fourth-graders at the Woodland School Tuesday.
Now in its third year, the fourth-grade performance is still attracting many students who want to be involved in the drama production. After having 70 students showed up for auditions in December, fourth-grade teachers Jennifer Carollo and Danielle Kelton selected 16 actors and 15 stagehands.
"The kids love it," Ms. Carollo said. "They are proud of themselves."
The performances began three years ago when, according to Ms. Carollo, she and Ms. Kelton realized the need for the school to offer drama to the students.
"We wanted it to be after school, but we didn’t have the money (at the time)," Ms. Carollo said.
She and Ms. Kelton volunteered to be in charge of the production. Now, the PTO has given them a $100 grant to spend on props, costumes and their cast party, Ms. Carollo said.
Each year, the plays have a fairy tale theme, which, according to Ms. Carollo, is more enjoyable for the kids because many have performed a mock fairy tale trial as third-graders.
Although the production is open to all fourth-grade students, those chosen to participate must maintain above-average grades. The teachers also try to vary the participants, picking students from each of the eight fourth-grade classes, Ms. Carollo said.
Those participating in the stage crew are responsible for painting and building sets and designing costumes. According to Carolann Scott, art teacher, she and the students worked hard developing ideas for the scenery.
Although she told them what was needed, the students themselves decided how to go about making the background pieces.
"I gave them tools and instructions, then let them go," Ms. Scott said.
For example, in the enchanted forest, students had to make 7-foot trees. Ms Scott said she made the layouts herself and the kids used sponges and other materials to paint the leaves and build different pieces, including mushrooms and butterflies, to decorate the forest.
"What you see on the stage is coming from the children," she said.
In preparation for Tuesday’s two performances, one for the students in the afternoon and another for parents at night, they hung posters, which the students made, and sent out invitations advertising the play. Ms. Carollo said they will also decorate a board with pictures of all the students who participated in the production and place it at the entrance of the auditorium.
According to Ms. Carollo, the play was supposed to be in March, but, with snow days and other school cancellations, it had to be pushed back to June.
"(But) it’s a nice way to end the year," she said.
After the play, students will hold their own version of the Academy Awards, giving prizes to one girl and one boy who have attended all rehearsals, memorized all their lines and who have been great assets overall to the production, Ms. Carollo said.
The stage crew will also be rewarded for its hard work with certificates.
"A play needs actors and people onstage, but it also needs people backstage," Ms. Scott said. "They came after school once a week, sometimes for an hour and a half. They were very faithful."
In addition, the students can use the opportunity as a learning experience for the annual sixth-grade play.
"Many kids in sixth grade say they got their start in fourth grade," Ms. Carollo said.
Ms. Scott said she looks at the play as a jumping-off point for the students when they go to middle and high school.
"It’s very good for them socially," Ms. Carollo said. "Some of them don’t have extracurricular activities, so this is good for them."