The Lion King Jr. will stampede the stage of the SSHS Auditorium at the Civic Center three times, July 21, 22 and 23! These are the exclusive performance dates for the Disney musical, which is a production of the Children’s Summer Workshop, a theater-instruction camp offered for an entire summer by Sulphur Springs Community Players. The 2017 play is special in that it is a musical, and that it is a Disney production. David Woody is Director of the play as well as director of the workshop. For about three decades, David has been lending his knowledge of the art of community theater to youngsters, helping them learn the basics of stage performance. Skills like how to speak and project their voice, how to read and memorize lines, and how to take stage direction are their first lessons. Then, while continuing to apply the fundamentals, Woody moves the class into character development and stage movement. Roles are assigned and sets and costumes decided upon. Next, the youngsters get very hands-on by assisting with set building, lights and sound, music and costuming, with duties assigned according to age and ability. Students with previous workshop experience are often assigned “assistant director” duties to help Woody as the project begins to take shape. Of course, parents of workshoppers are often on hand to help keep the group focused. By the time the play is ready for an audience, the workshop group has assumed ownership of the project and has become a cast with a pride in the art they are creating. The last step is inviting people to come and see the play they will put on. In this case, the SSHS Auditorium stage is much larger than Main Street Theater, their home stage, so the class has been spending more time at the Civic Center as opening night gets closer. Performances are at 7 pm on Friday July 21 and Saturday July 22, with the Sunday July 23 performance at 2pm. Tickets are $15 person at the door or inline at mstsulphursprings.com. With questions about the Community Players, you can leave a message at 903-885-0107.
Cast members top to bottom: Kelsey Horton, Lindsey Plumley, Savannah Deterding, AJ Horton, Kyla Deterding, Cane Deterding, Zeke Deterding, Grace Mansfield, Kiara Stowater, Zachary Mansfield, Aurora West
