CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism (CP&R) on Saturday afternoon concluded its annual week-long summer theater camp with a production of “The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley, Jr.”
The show, based on the popular “Flat Stanley” book series, follows Stanley Lambchop, who longs to live a life of adventure. When he is flattened by a falling bulletin board, Stanley gets his wish, embarking on a whirlwind tour as a crimefighter (posing as a painting to catch an art thief), movie star (cast in a surfing movie as the board!) and human postcard, traveling the world via the postal system.
Cullman High School and Cullman Community Theatre Director Wayne Cook directed the production with assistance from Cindy Pass and members of both of his troupes.
He told The Tribune, “This is a theater camp that we offer; we’ve been doing it for about four years now, and we do it through CP&R now. They sponsor it. It’s basically for kids that are junior high through- I think we have some kids as old as third grade here this week. We just kind of base it on maturity, whether they’re ready for this. We have about 21 kids involved this year.
“They’re doing a show called, ‘The (Musical( Adventures of Flat Stanley, Jr.’ is what it’s called. It’s a little play, about a 45-minute play; we’ve worked on it all week long. It’s kind of crazy for doing it in a week. It’s hard to pull a show together in a week, but that was the basis of the whole week’s worth of work, is that program. It’s got a lot of drama, a lot of music; there’s singing, doing a little bit of choreography.”
Finding blossoming talent
Said Cook, “I like doing these camps, because I get to learn about upcoming talent: who’s coming up. You know, we get to start working with them some, getting to know them. Then, there are lots of time when we end up casting elementary kids in other shows, and so we like to know ahead of time who’s out there. It’s an opportunity for us to get to know kids, and to promote theater with a younger generation, and to continue to build the arts in the community.
“I like to participate for that reason, and I’m thankful to CP&R for allowing us to do it, and to Cullman High School for allowing us to do the camp here every year.”
The CP&R summer theater camp is held in the latter part of July each year.
A little review
I don’t usually engage in reviews of shows, but this one warranted a special bit of attention. For a production put together in only five days with a mostly kid cast, there were the little things you’d expect: the occasional line prompt or not-quite-precise dance step.
If you were there for the show on Saturday, though, what you really walked away remembering most were things some folks might not expect. The kids weren’t shy; they went for everything they had to do with an energy level that was fun to watch. Now, kids have energy, but this energy was channeled just right, so that the actors hit their cues and sold their roles, the singers often sang like much more experienced vocalists, and they still got to be what they had to be for this kind of story and show to work: kids.
Cast
- Stanley Lambchop – Slade Turbyfield
- Arthur Lambchop – Aiden Wisener
- Mr. Lambchop – Rutland Turner
- Mrs. Lambchop – Abby West
- Sophie – Ariel Jacobs
- Caleb – Teague Petty
- Jackson – Will-Davis Simmons
- Jacob – Satchel Smith
- Mrs. Cartero – Willa Smith
- Bulletin Board Halle Robertson
- Doctor Dan – Dawson Culver
- Nurse Betty – Lillian Griffin
- Leader of the Cool Kids – Tegan Moss
- Hollywood Agent – Aubrey Duncan
- Samantha – Virginia Voss
- O Jay D’Art – Lauren Cherry
- Mona Lisa – Tegan Moss
- Napoleon – Will-Davis Simmons
- Sneak Thief – Teague Petty
- Wavecrest – Nik Fondren
- Kiki – Mary Atchison
- Bikini Wahini – Halle Robertson
- Assistant Director – Libby James
- Cool Kids – Lauren Cherry, Lillian Griffin, Virginia Voss, Halle Robertson
- Birds/Hollywood – Madelyn McCuiston, Bella Thornton, Adeline Hallmark, Anne Lunsford, Mary Atchison, Jessica Hayes
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