“The play’s the thing.”
At least for the children who attended the 29th annual Children’s Theatre Drama Camp at the Tinnin Fine Arts Center this week.
The camp was open to students in grades second through eighth. Students from Poplar Bluff schools, Sacred Heart, Twin Rivers, Greenville and Dexter were in attendance.
It was a group that was eager to talk about their love of theater, and of the week they spent preparing for Friday’s big performance for family and friends. The young actors performed children’s books that have been adapted into plays.
“I like the acting and the improvisation games,” said Cameron Huck, a seventh grader at Poplar Bluff Junior High School.
“I have always been good at drama,” added student Alex Hasanov. “My favorite part was learning the song ‘My Favorite Things’ from the ‘Sound of Music.’”
The children performed a selection of pieces drawn from children’s books.
JoNell Seifert, who taught drama for many years at Poplar Bluff, is the camp’s director, and has compiled the plays the children learn. In 1993, Seifert was contacted by Poplar Bluff Superintendent Barb Felts to see if she would do a summer class in Reader’s Theater. With Reader’s Theater, students do not need to memorize the lines, but most do, according to Seifert. Her role as speech coach made her the logical choice.
In the early days of the camp, Seifert’s classroom was the location, so it was limited to only 15 students.
This week’s attendance was 43. Seifert was joined for this camp by Josh Hancock, English and theater teacher at Twin Rivers High School, Mary Libla, director of the Bidewell Fitness Center, and Laura Dowd, retired counselor from Poplar Bluff High School.
They helped the children prepare for performances of pieces from “Miss Nelson is Back” by Harry Allard, “The Day the Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt, “Gregory the Terrible Eater” by Mitchell Sharmat and “Smelly Socks” by Robert Munsch. Four books by Jon Scieszka were also part of this year’s program: “Elephant and Mosquito,” “Grasshopper Logic Pigeon Pie” and “Piece of Toast & Fruit Loops.”
In addition to the plays, two musical numbers were included as well, “My Favorite Things” from “The Sound of Music” and “Footloose.”
One of the young campers also helped with the program. Jillan Hovis drew the illustration for the play “The Day the Crayons Quit.”
“I started drawing by drawing Snow White from a Disney book,” said Hovis, who wants to be an artist when she grows up.
Everyone involved had a shared enthusiasm for theater and music, as well as working with children.
Student workers Cooper Hornbeck and Abby Murphy directed the “Footloose” number.
Hornbeck, a senior at Poplar Bluff High School, said he is torn between his love for music and his love for history. Right now, music seems to be winning. Murphy, a junior at Poplar Bluff High School, said “Acting and directing are what I want to do as a career.”
Spencer Wilson, who helped with registration, said he had learned a lot from the experience.
For Hancock, there was a notable difference in working with high school students and elementary students.
“Both levels get excited, but the overall excitement varies. These kids are at a level 10 the entire time,” Hancock said.
Mary Libla and Laura Dowd choreographed moves to Footloose.
“Dance like no one is watching seems to be what the younger kids do. They do not even need music,” Libla said.
Libla, who grew up around music, said she believed the arts are very important. Growing up, she took piano lessons, flute and voice lessons, as well as tap, ballet and jazz. She always seemed drawn back to the dance.
The younger the child, the less inhibited they seem to feel, Dowd agreed. She told stories of a famous guitarist who told his students he could not teach them how to play like him, but he could teach them how to enjoy playing as much as he did.
For all involved, the play seemed to be the thing.