Tuesday afternoon I went to the second Children's Musical Theater production of the summer. This one, "Whose Contest Is It Anyway?" was a parody, a spoof, drawn from the popular young adult book, The Hunger Games. Being an "old granny" as one of my grandchildren calls me, I haven't read the book but I still thoroughly enjoyed the play. That was because the plot was clear and easy to follow. It also helped that the contestants were super heroes and fairy tale characters that I know. Only Tony Stark was unfamiliar to me but the girl who portrayed him did a good job.
The nine actors, who will either start high school this fall or who are already in high school, wrote the play and also the original lyrics to several of the songs. In addition, two of them were recognized in the playbill for developing several of the dances. They did the entire job in twenty-four hours spread over a period of two weeks.
The directors were Sonja Hyer, Rebecca O'Brien and Gretchen Weber. Eric Hyer, my grandson, ran the lights. Sonja said, in her introduction of the play that he was given his cue sheet for the lights and sound effects on Monday. That's cutting the finishing of the production very close to the performance day. But Eric and all the cast did a great job.
The opening number, One, from A Chorus Line.
Tony Stark sang about what was most important to him in life, Love.
The three beauties, Tinkerbell, Belle, and Cinderella, joined in as backup to Tony's song. They did a nice softshoe routine as well.
"Bad Reputation" was such a lively dance and song, it was hard to get a photograph.
Mary Meyer took a good photo of the contestants choosing their weapons after the song and dance.
Above the actors, you can see the banks of lights that Eric was controlling.
Here are seven of them holding their chosen weapons and waiting for their interview. Joker tried to make the time go faster by telling jokes but only he laughed at them.
Beast and Hulk had an argument.
Poor Beast. Belle was in love with him but he was in love with Cinderella. Beast died from love.
Joker really worked at settling the bad feelings between the girls. She/He finally succeeded as she/he sang, "All You Need Is Love".
Since Belle couldn't have Beast, she decided Captain America was really the one for her.
Whenever Thor and Captain America argued, all the contestants fled. Thor had very bad aim with his hammer. Finally they killed one another. (off stage) Belle was without a boy friend again.
Hulk had jumped behind a bush. Unfortunately, the bush was poison ivy. As he itched and suffered, he sang about the bush of ivy. The tune he used was "Rings of Fire", the song you probably have heard sung by Johnny Cash. The poison ivy killed him off.
Eventually everyone was dead except Tony, Belle, Tinkerbell and Cinderella. Tinkerbell tried to keep the girls' spirits up by singing, "Don't Stop Believing." But then Tony came in and declared, "I don't believe!" Poor Tinkerbell. In the book (and play) Peter Pan, I learned that fairies die if people don't believe and that is how Tinkerbell met her end.
Tony consoled Belle and Cinderella by telling them that now there were only three of them and they could trust each other.
But Belle and Cinderella were suspicious.
Tony asked them to get him some grapes. Belle went off to find some. All she found were some berries down by the creek which looked a little like grapes. She fed one to Tony. He choked. "That wasn't a grape. That was Deadly Nightshade." He staggered off stage to die.
Back on stage again, the production ended with a lively chorus of "We Are the Champions".
Photo by Mary Meyer
The final bows.
Photo by Mary Meyer
This is so funny. You make my day laugh, a theater play combined all the characters, super heroes and fairy tales are amazing. I wish I was there to watch this event. Theater plays for kids.
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