Trinity Bricker

‘Omigosh,’ these kids are good

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

When you see a comedy performed by kids, for kids, about a kids’ summer camp, you expect something, well, campy. With KidsPlay Inc.’s “Camp Omigosh,” by Wade Bradford, directed by Amy Studabaker, you get that and more, an experience one could say is out of this world.

KidsPlay (for those unfamiliar) is the Greenfield-based non-profit theatre program open to children in grades 3 to 8 (any school or homeschooled) who make up the entirety of the cast – learning stagecraft for free – while volunteer family and community members help in all aspects of the show.

The weirdness starts on the bus to camp, as Connor (Asher Ortman), who is also our Narrator, tries to make friends by swindling them. Tasha (Nora Smith) is not impressed, but somehow finds herself holding his hand in the long, dark tunnel to the campground.

Camp Omigosh itself, on the banks of Lake Whattheheck, turns out to be a dump. New owner Miss Warren (Molly Wallace) sets the activity schedule around the kids fixing the place up, which excites carpentry and engineering enthusiast Parker (Oliver Lederman). To assist, there are some deaf-mute girls from Sweden (Gigi Gunn, Callahan Horan, Kyndall Watkins) led by Ulah (Ellie Stearns).

Staff include Ms. Greenblatt (Kayte Reasoner) who combines her love of arts and crafts with being Camp Nurse; Coach Dunbom (Bella Latdrik), who views playing dodgeball as a life skill; Mr. Hobbes (Bennie Vaughn), who lives to dance; and the Starbucks-addicted bus driver, Ms. Finkle (Aria Studebaker).

Rich girl Kimberly (Abby Marler) thought she was going to an elite performing arts camp and is furious. The others all seem happy enough to be there, though, especially BFF’s Tessa and Vanessa (Josie McConnell and Essie Ortman), who seem to share both a brain and a passion for animals.

And what’s a summer camp without a ghost story? There have been sightings of a mysterious figure (Caroline Goldstein) – could it be the spirit long missing (and presumed dead) Billie Wilson? Why are campers’ personal objects floating away into the woods? Also, aren’t the Silent Swedes just a bit too creepy? Things just get spookier and weirder until our kids find themselves in a more complex and dangerous situation than any of them (or frankly, us in the audience) ever expected.

The cast also include – in various roles such as campers, aliens, and robots –  Audra Speicher, Vivian Goldstein, Tanner Pipkin, Trinity Bricker, Lilliana Grzelak, Sawyer Froman, Piper Grzelak, Elliott Holmes, Sydney Daniels, Quinn Felver, Harrison Studabaker, and Jack Joyner as the “First Contact Alien.”

Several also perform in the traditional KidsPlay opening dance number – a clever take on a “camp” classic – along with Evalynn Connelly, Tegan Keller, and Piper Orr.

The production is funny, entertaining, and a nice showcase of young talent. We are always impressed with even the younger actors who already show stage presence and range, like fourth-grader Lederman, or fifth-grader Marler in taking her arc from spoiled brat to feisty heroine (who, in a comic high-point, defeats… herself!).

The polish of experience starts to show with principal players such as Asher Ortman, Smith, the duo of Stearns and Essie Ortman, and those playing adults like Wallace, Latdrik, Aria Studebaker, Reasoner, Vaughn, and Joyner. The “Swedes” display quality clown/mime work, and we even get some puppetry with Daniels, Felver, and Harrison Studabaker.

This being the Spring Show, these are the final KidsPlay performances for the program “graduates,” eighth-graders who move on to high school stages and possible Young Artist opportunities in area theatres. This year, there are just Bella Latdrik and Jack Joyner. You know when you notice a young girl or boy on stage stealing scenes? That was these two in past KidsPlay productions. Here’s wishing them the best going forward.

Head out to “Camp Omigosh!” Performances are Friday through Sunday, May 2-4, at the H.J. Ricks Centre for the Arts, 122 W. Main St. (US 40) in downtown Greenfield. Get very affordable tickets at crazylakeacting.com or the box office.

Kidsplay ‘Doctor’ delivers two shots to the funny bone

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

Is there a doctor in the house? Several, actually, but they’re not even in high school yet. KidsPlay Inc. presents “The Doctor is In,” a pair of hilarious one-acts dealing with the sillier side of medicine.

Greenfield-based KidsPlay is a non-profit theatre opportunity for kids in third through eighth grade at no charge to them. Founder Christine Schaefer and director Amy Studabaker maintain a high performance standard so you don’t have to be related to a child to appreciate the show – besides, siblings and parents are often busy as crew, concessions, etc.

The show opens, per tradition, with a tap routine to a big band hit (with a twist) by Trinity Bricker, Evalynn Connelly, Chloe Elkins, Abby Marler, Josie McConnell, Nora Smith, Aria Studabaker, and Kyndall Watkins, choreographed by Frances Hull.

In Act I, “Understanding Your Pet with Dr. Marla Brett,” by Andrew Frodahl, Abby Kaucher plays the title doc like she’s the Taylor Swift of Veterinary Science, complete with best-selling book. She arrives at the clinic of starstruck Dr. Linkester (Chloe Elkins) and overworked, under-coffeed Vet Tech Dalaney (Kyndall Watkins), to test a new treatment on their patients – or to be precise, the animals’ owners. The pills give insight into what’s up with their critters, but, naturally there are side effects.

The pet people include a Senator (Anthony Stunda) and his aide (Molly Wallace), a chicken farmer (Elliott Holmes), a totally tubular turtle dude (Asher Ortman), a very sore beekeeper (Abby Marler) and an exterminator (Spencer Pipkin) who wants to get into the minds of his adversary. Other roles are by Bricker, Smith, Ellie Stearns, Audra Speicher, and Everett Sumpter. Finally, Federal Agents, played by Oliver Lederman and Tanner Pipkin, crash the party looking like miniature Blues Brothers. So much fun to be had here, especially with Stunda embracing his wild side, and Watkins shines as the only character acting relatively professional in the entire office.

Act II combines three fear factors into a single farce, “Attack of the Clown Dentist Zombies,” by Scott Haan (who was pleased after seeing a dress rehearsal). Dr. Todd Hanover (Charles Wallace) wants local dentists to find a way to keep their patients at ease, but first, let’s all have some of these mysteriously glowing cookies that Mrs. Hoffenbridle (Josie McConnell) made.

Steadfast in their refusal of baked goods, cynical throughout, and heroes by default are Dr. Hanover’s children, Xander and Susan (Reid Connors and Aria Studabaker), showing great stage presence even while dodging the zombified dentists and their victims: Essie Ortman, Sawyer Froman, Elliott Holmes, Kayte Reasoner, Asher Ortman, Ellie Raney, Everett Sumpter, Ellie Stearns, and Jack Joyner. Looks like it could be up to the town eccentric, Crazy Amy (Bella Ladrik), to save the day.

As is the case with the spring KidsPlay show, the eighth-grade performers “graduate” as they move on to high school and area Young Artist productions. This year’s group are Chloe Elkins, Abby Kaucher, Anthony Stunda, and Charles Wallace. They are off to a great start for whatever stage they aspire to.

Being an all-volunteer organization, KidsPlay keeps tickets at just five dollars each to see “The Doctor is In,” Friday through Sunday (April 19-21) only at the H.J. Ricks Centre for the Arts, 122 W. Main St. (US 40) in downtown Greenfield. Presale tickets available at Hometown Comics & Games, 1040 N. State St., also in Greenfield.