By Suzanne Schmidt
More kids will have a chance to be in the spotlight with the two spring productions of Arts In Motion.
Michelle Twitmyer, president of Arts in Motion, said the nonprofit performing arts group will present two plays with “Honk! Jr.” 7 p.m. May 7 and 2 p.m. May 8 and “Night at the Wax Museum” 7 p.m. May 8 and 2 p.m. May 9.
Both performances will be at the Eleanor Dempsey Performing Arts Center at Bishop McLaughlin High School, 13651 Hays Road in Hudson. Tickets will be $12 for adults and $7 for students at the door.
“For our spring production, we are trying to include everybody,” Twitmyer said. “When we choose our plays, we usually have to meet the needs of the older kids and the younger kids at the same time. In both productions almost everybody has a speaking role, which is really unusual.”
“Honk! Jr.” is for the elementary school children and “Night at the Wax Museum” is for the middle and high school kids.
Honk! Jr., a musical, is a witty and charming re-telling of the ugly duckling story.
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Ugly runs away and he meets up with a cat,” Twitmyer said. “The cat sings a song about how you should play with your food and Ugly doesn’t realize he (the cat) is planning to eat him. Then he meets some geese that help him get back to his farm. At some point he meets the swans and meets a girl swan. Along the way, he realizes that he is just different and that is one of the great things about him.”
Ivan Cano is a recent graduate from the University of South Florida with a bachelor’s degree in theater arts. He is the stage manager for “Honk! Jr.”
“I like working with kids because they are such an energetic bunch,” Cano said. “I can tell this is going to be a great production because the kids are putting so much energy into it. It is a feel good musical with a nice message to accept people even if they are not the same as you.”
Land O’ Lakes resident Shane Lefebvre, 11, is playing the part of Ugly.
“I am excited because I expected a smaller part,” Lefebvre said. “I am psyched I got it. There are a lot of scenes where I have to act sad or depressed so I am just focusing on my body movements and my facial expressions. I like being in the spotlight.”
Dade City resident Jessica Twitmyer, 10, is playing Ida, Ugly’s mother. She said she watched how ducks move to prepare for her part.
“My character is very motherly and protective of Ugly because he is picked on,” Jessica said. “I love performing and I love seeing all of my friends. Being able to perform has made me more outgoing.”
“Night at the Wax Museum” is a slapstick comedy. A teacher gives her struggling history students a chance for extra credit by helping her and a few older ladies from a historical society catalog a wax museum full of historical characters like Cleopatra and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Eventually, through the power of an old Egyptian bracelet belonging to Cleopatra, all the wax figures come to life.
Megan Lamasney recently graduated from USF with a bachelor’s degree in theater arts. She is the director and stage manager for the wax museum play.
“It is a very funny play with a lot of stage combat and jokes and laughs,” Lamasney said. “It is a great opportunity for people to learn about history as well as have some fun. I let the kids research their own characters. It gives them a chance to see how to work on a play from the ground up. They got their own ideas of how a character walked and acted and talked.”
Wesley Chapel resident Kathleen White, 18, plays the part of Hazel, an older lady in the Cultural Historical Society. She is helping to catalog the items because her society is taking over control of the wax museum. White said she would like to see more kids join Arts in Motion.
“I googled how to be an old lady then I looked at my lines and figured out my character’s personality,” White said. “She is a grumpy old lady that is easily frustrated. I love it here. I always tell other kids to check it out and maybe try acting because this is the best time to do it.”
Dade City resident Madeline Kender, 16, is playing Anne Bonny, a pirate.
“They had a special on the History channel and I watched the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movies,” Kender said. “She uses her femininity but she is not afraid to be tough. She asserts her dominance and doesn’t let the men keep her down.”
Wesley Chapel resident Devin White, 16, plays the part of Pancho Villa, the rebel general of the Mexican Revolution. Devin is not related to Kathleen.
“This is my first play and I think it is awesome,” White said. “To figure out my character, I just basically took my personality and turned it up from a two to a 10.”
At the event, Twitmyer said the organization will also have an art gallery at the performances to showcase the artwork from children in the area.
“This is good for the kids who are more confident with the visual arts than they are with performance art,” Twitmyer said. “People will be able to see and buy the artwork.”
For more information, visit www.ArtsInMotionPasco.org or call (352) 834-1246.
