BRATTLEBORO — Since early last summer, students from the three elementary schools here have been attending New England Youth Theatre (NEYT) for a free afterschool program to learn theatrical skills and rehearse a play.
Now NEYT presents the fruits of their work. Join them Jan. 23-25 for Town Schools Theatre's production of “Jack and the Devil's Three Golden Hairs.”
Directed by Naomi Shafer and Jonny Flood, and starring 30 students in grades 3-6 from Academy, Green Street, and Oak Grove, “Jack and the Devil's Three Golden Hairs” is based on a tale by the Brothers Grimm, as adapted from a musical written by Stephen Stearns and Peter Amidon.
As NEYT explains at its website, “[t]his whimsical story starts long, long ago in a poor village with a birth. A fortune teller predicts that the baby will marry the princess. When the king gets word that a peasant child will someday usurp him, he sets out to stop fate. Alas, his plan goes terribly wrong. With the help of forest robbers, Jack grows up to marry the princess, but not before he completes a set of challenges, including plucking three hairs from the devil's head.”
“Jack and the Devil's Three Golden Hairs” is the first production in NEYT's collaboration with the schools. Although NEYT had led outreach programs in the schools for several years, the idea to create a unified program in the public elementary schools was that of the students' principals, who wanted to see the kids receive equal arts opportunities.
“This collaboration has its seeds in an NEYT outreach actors program originally called Actour,” says Shafer, who is also NEYT's development director. “With Actour, we would go to the different schools in Windham County to work with the students on theatrical arts, and perhaps put on a skit.”
Because the principals wanted a more in-depth afterschool program, NEYT developed with them a more elaborate theatrical venture for students under the umbrella of Town Schools Theatre.
Early last year, NEYT put out notices at Academy, Green Street, and Oak Grove schools for students who would like to join Town School Theater.
“Our main requirement was that participants would be able to make all the rehearsal dates,” Shafer says.
The program was free. Students could walk over to NEYT from Green Street or bus in from Academy and Oak Grove.
“We rehearsed for two hours in the afternoons, from 3:30 until 5:30,” Shafer says. “Before coming to NEYT, these students were given something to eat from the afterschool snack program, and I have to say that made a big difference in the energy and commitment of our actors.”
Shafer says she found the level of support from the schools' principals and staff very exciting:
“There was always someone from the staff of the schools at all rehearsals, so the kids felt comfortable because a person they already knew was there. Together our group all worked to put on 'Jack and the Devil's Three Golden Hairs,' a fully produced show with lights, sets, and costumes that is for kids and their parents, and is open to the public.”
Adapting the show from a musical Stearns and Amidon wrote several years ago, but without the music, Shafer found she could tailor the work to each student's needs.
“If a student wanted a challenge to feel successful, we might add a few lines here or subtract some elsewhere where the work seemed too demanding,” she says.
Schafer says 'Jack' is a true ensemble piece where the parts are well distributed among all the players. “Our young actors will tell you how many lines each role has,” she says, “and quickly point out that 'Jack' definitely does not have the most.”
Although Shafer is not new to directing, this is her first time overseeing so many young people at once.
“Everything is going well,” she reports. “I am learning so much. I am grateful for these kids' patience and kindness. So smart and full of good ideas, they are making my job so much easier.”