Online News From The Tribeca Trib

Making a Scene

by Barry Owens

On stage at P.S./I.S. 89 last month, the I.S. 89 Manhattan Youth Players trod the boards in sneakers, at times delivering the words of Shakespeare with a freshness that only eighth-graders could muster. Meanwhile, at P.S. 234, a younger cast rehearsed lines from scenes they had written for themselves with the sorts of characters and plot points that only grade schoolers could imagine.

"Good evening, sir, master, um, what-ya-call-it," said a young thespian, bowing, in a scene from the I.S. 89 production of "As You Like It" during a performance on Jan. 21. An occasional flubbed line was to be expected from troupe members, most of whom were still learning Shakespeare's difficult script in the days before the opening.

"If you forget your lines, just say something to keep the scene going," instructed Theseus Roche, the play's director, during rehearsals just a week before the first performance. "Now, places," he said. "I want to see this scene."

"You mean with words and everything?" came a cry from the group.

"Yes, with the words and everything," he answered.

Roche, who last year directed the players in a production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," said that "As You Like It" presented more of a challenge for the young actors and included enough characters to give each child a role.

"The kids want to do something more contemporary next semester," said Roche. "I don't blame them."

Scripts in hand, fourth graders with the P.S. 234 and P.S. 89 after-school theater program performed a staged reading of their work, "Who, What and Where," on Jan. 27.

There was the tale of Cutie-Pie, a space dog abducted by a bully. There was the tale of Cody, the world's richest boy, who must outwit his nemesis, the evil Dr. Frankfurter.

Another scene told of the "Perils of Puss," drawn from the character Puss in Boots. Yet another was based on a wholly new character-Hip-Hop, the "Huggable Diva." (How would she regain her rhythm?)

"There are the silliest things in there, things only a kid could come up with," said Mark Greenfield, the show's director.

The scenes were rife with evil laughs, slapstick and grade school humor. In short, it killed.

"This is the best part," said Greenfield as friends and family congratulated the cast after the performance. "To see the kids proud of something that they accomplished."

Afterward, Greenfield clutched a chocolate "Oscar" given to him by a grateful parent