Calvert County Commissioners’ President Evan Slaughenhoupt presented certificates and checks to Kids’ Playwriting Festival winners.
North Beach, MD – The Twin Beach Players (TBP) Youth Troupe is proudly presenting its summer production of the 11th Annual Kids’ Playwriting Festival (KPF) running through Aug. 14. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7 p.m. The Sunday matinee is at 3 p.m. The Festival showcases six plays written and performed by kids. Tickets are $10 general admission; $5 for seniors, members and students. Performances are held at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern MD building located at 9021 Dayton Avenue in North Beach.
Unique aspects of this annual festival include the opportunity to afford the winning playwrights complete creative control of their shows—from casting, directing and designing with the added perk of being able to star in their own play! Over 70 children were involved in this year’s festival. The six winning playwrights each received a check for $100.
At the Saturday, Aug. 6 Intermission, Calvert County Commissioner Evan Slaughenhoupt had the honor of presenting the prize checks and award certificates. Twin Beach Players Board of Directors President Sid Curl noted in his program book message that this year six young ladies were the 2016 winners, marking the first time the KPF has been an all-female writing production! The 2016 playwrights are Taylor Baker, Sidney Baker, Sadie Storm, Elizabeth Kieckhefer (a first-time entrant!), and second-time winners Leah Hartley and Lucie Boyd. The contest was extremely competitive. A total of 25 scripts were submitted.
This exciting production opened with an exuberant “welcome dance” by the amazing Stage Crew, followed by introductory remarks from Youth Troupe Director Sherry Lehnen. Ms. Lehnen marks her fifth year with TBP. Co=Producer Vivian Petersen is a TBP Board Member and veteran TBP performer. While living in California, she spent five years making her living as a background actress in Hollywood with both Central and Rainbow Casting.
The first play on the bill was Amber’s Science Lesson, by Elizabeth Kieckhofer, who portrayed the role of Ellie, directed by Cheryl Thompson who is a TBP board member in her eighth KPF as a volunteer.
This is the first play Elizabeth has ever submitted to a contest and she won. The role of Ellie is also her acting debut. Her other talents include dancing, drawing, reading, hanging out with her pet cats and eating bacon.
Amber (Emma Vanbushirk, in her second TBP role) and Sam (Connor McLaughlin, making his TBP debut) are paired up for a science project but they do not seem to be a likely team. Amber is annoyed that Sam can’t even spell science, and Sam thinks Amber is too bossy. But with the support of their wise teacher, Mr. Smith (the multi-talented EJ Roach, who wears many hats during this production – his 5th KPF), and Amber’s understanding parents, all is successfully resolved. This play’s clever props include goggles; each student carefully dons a pair while mixing chemicals in class.
Rounding out the cast are: Andrew Brinegar, Brayden Brooks, Chase Brooks, Kadence Brooks, Olivia Heath, Remmy Kulas, Duncan Mansperger, Elizabeth Owens, Asher Popernack, Elizabeth Quesenberry, MJ Rastakhiz, James Reiser, Victoria Roberts, Brandon Turner, and Ellee Vanbuskirk.
The Festival’s second play was Changes by Sadie Storm (who also plays the Band Director and serves as Assistant Director) with Annie Gorenflo as Director (Annie is both a talented TBP director and actress and was seen most recently as Elise in The Miser. This is her seventh TBP/KPF season). This is Sadie’s fifth year of acting with TBP; she is a 7th-grader at Plum Point Middle School where she participates in SGA and Chorus.
Changes reflects a serious subject matter as seen through the eyes of its youthful and perceptive playwright. A family from Syria has moved into the neighborhood and the daughter, Canan (Grace Henderson giving an emotionally sensitive interpretation as the Syrian student), has enrolled in school. Canan is tormented by her classmate Emma (Keira Gallagher, who evidences outstanding vocal quality and projection in her various roles throughout the evening. This is Miss Gallagher’s 4th TBP/KPF season; she is a TBP Best Actress winner for her role as Imogene in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever). Emma and the other students bully Canan both in Mrs. Smithers’ classroom and on the playground. The family from Syria enjoys playing the board game Battleship at home, but at school, the students wonder “is Canan a terrorist?” and Emma engages in name-calling (“towelhead”). By the play’s end, Canan and Emma have reconciled their differences in this thought-provoking and timely story.
Jasmine Heminger is Mrs. Smithers; this is Jasmine’s 5th TBP/KPF season. The roles of Canan’s parents are played by EJ Roach (Amir) and his real-life sister Aaliyah Roach (Bibiana). Other cast members are: Andrew Brinegar, Camden Brooks, David Evans, Sarah Degrange, Riley Ferver, Charlie Frank, Julia Hartley, Julia Mozingo, Sarah Rannacher, and Gracie Wood.
The third play is Objection! by Taylor Baker who appears in her 6th KPF season. She plays the role of Julie in the last play of the Festival. She is also assistant director for her own play. Vivian Petersen is Director.
This play features EJ Roach as “Adventure Guy” Warren, an enterprising Indiana Jones-esque character. The actors discover a “found object.” Warren learns he’s a fictitious character and breaks the “fourth wall” (of theatre). All of the actors give strong portrayals as they engage in time travel with off-stage assistance from the Tech Crew. Members of this cast also include Hayden Baker, Sidney Baker, Andrew Brinegar, Mickey Cashman (a longtime actor/volunteer with TBP and a two-time KPF winner in a scene-stealing performance here as Sam), Elizabeth Cullens, Aaliyah Roach, Cameron Walker (seen at TBP as Elwood Dowd in Harvey), Sena Weaver and Madelyn Wilson.
Science Mistakes by Leah Hartley was next on the bill. (A special shout-out goes to the spot-on Stage Crew which whisked props on and offstage with surprisingly silent – and efficient – speed).
Directors for this play are Sherry Lehnen and Travis Lehnen. (Travis is stage manager for KPF 2016 and has served previously in this capacity with TBP. Most notably, Travis was assistant stage manager for TBP’s unforgettable production of Noises Off. Miss Hartley takes the part of Mrs. Wendell. Leah will be an 8th-grader at Northern Middle School this year. She is a TBP veteran and authored a winning play in KPF 2015.
This delightful comedy featured ebullient trouper Bridget Gildersleeve in the leading lady role of Melissa who becomes a victim of her friend’s science experiment gone dreadfully awry. Kudos to this 10-year-old thespian, who performed wearing a walking cast on her left leg. Her personality undergoes a hilarious transformation causing her to exclaim, “I don’t need a tail, too!” Callie Patterson, her BFF Nicole, gives an animated performance with good reactions as the two girls try to untangle the experiment. This is seventh-grader Callie’s first speaking role as a veteran KPF. Eight-year-old KPF veteran Braden Heath is well-cast as Melissa little brother. Also in this play are actors Seraphina Barberio, Vittorio Barberio, Mary Evans, Abby Frank, Maria Hartley, Kathryn Hoyle, Ava Jabara, Victoria McCreary, Cecilia Mixon and Kayla Twigg. Science Mistakes ends with an unexpected twist.
Six-year TBP veteran and second-time KPF winner Lucie Boyd has created a nifty little thriller with The Mystery of the Hum of Nachitti and takes the role of the Camera Crew. Miss Boyd will be remembered for her play entitled The Mystery of the Sand Island Explosion from KPF 2015 in which the cast was involved in a lively expedition to investigate possible supernatural occurrences in a remote area (complete with accidentally fold-up tents!). Some of those same performers from last year re-appear here to research what’s behind the hum of Nachitti. It is a joy to see veteran student performers return from year-to-year as they develop nuances within their respective roles.
As Brittany, Riley Johnson gives a great laugh when she is introduced to Andrew Brinegar as Brad. The four intrepid sleuths stand out as they create their own ensemble-within-the-ensemble with humorous results. A Chupacabra (10-year-old Olivia Heath, in her 3rd KPF year) is caught in a trap – could this be the source of the hum??? Stay tuned as the mystery unravels. Cast members include Aaliyah Roach as the Pilot, Kendall Heath as Sarah, Luke Rannacher as Jed, Hayden Reeves as Darren, Sara Mixon as Shirley and EJ Roach as Old Man Jenkins. The cast also includes Carsyn Baker, Hayden Baker, Quincy Baker, Kendall Heath, Kathryn Hoyle, Sara Rannacher, Elizabeth Quesenberry, Landen Reeves, Victoria Roberts, and Cameron Walker. This play is directed by EJ Roach; Aaliyah Roach is co-director.
The Festival’s final play is Shoes, Pizza and Spirits, written by KPF veteran Sidney Baker with a whimsical nod to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Miss Baker takes the role of the wife, Carol. Directors are Sherry Lehnen and Travis Lehnen. Employees Julie (Taylor Baker), Sandy (Sarah Rannacher), and Thompson (Hayden Reeves) try to convince their boss, Robert (EJ Roach), that he’s being unfair to his customers by selling shoddy merchandise. Hayden has the opportunity to display his versatility by assuming the personas of Business Mistakes: Past, and Business Mistakes: Present. The employees, while hiding out in Robert’s closet, are discovered by Robert’s children who subsequently are drafted to assist in the deception. Even the pizza-delivery-girl, Vanessa (Keira Gallagher), is roped into portraying Business Mistakes: Future. But will this be enough to change Robert’s mind? The cast is rounded-out by Tabitha Petersen, Luke Rannacher, and Victoria Roberts.
Additional Production Staff duties were handled by Technical Director Sid Curl, Assistant Stage Manager Aaron McDaniel, Sound Designers Caleb Petersen and the KPF Directors, Lighting Designer Sid Curl, Master Electrician/Light Board Operator Melissa Mikolaus, Sound Board Operator Caleb Petersen, Video Recorder John Barberio, Program Designers Vivian Petersen and Maelee Byram, and House Managers Vivian Petersen and Sherry Lehnen.
Next on the calendar for Twin Beach Players will be auditions for ages 16 and up for the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum by Stephen Sondheim scheduled for Aug. 21 from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m., and Aug. 22 from 7 to p.m. with callbacks on Aug. 25. Show dates are weekends from Oct. 14 through 30.
Auditions for all ages for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever will be held on Sept. 25 from 2 to 5 p.m. and September 26 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Performances will run weekends from Nov. 25 through Dec. 11.
Twin Beach Players is a non-profit 501 © 3 organization comprised of volunteers and talent from all over the MD/DC/VA area who love bringing live theatre to the community for an affordable price. For more information you may contact www.TwinBeachPlayers.com.
