Kids will be taking center stage May 13-15 at two comedic shows produced by the Covered Bridge Playhouse at the Tinley Park Performing Arts Center.
“One in a Million” and “Paranormal High School” each feature a cast of mostly middle and high school aged actors who are getting a taste of performing in front of a crowd.
“The main thing is building their confidence, so they have the ability to go on in front of a full house,” said Cassandra Balaskas, who is directing “One in a Million.” “I also want them to learn how to connect with their castmates so the relationships of the characters seem real to the audience.”
“One in a Million,” which features a cast of 25 aged 9-13, involves two sisters and their friends who find a winning lottery ticket on the floor of a convenience store.
“They can’t claim it because they’re under 18, so they come up with a plot to get around that,” Balaskas said. “But they aren’t the only ones who want the ticket.”
The kids live in a foster home, overseen by an oddball inventor, his scatterbrained librarian wife and a grandma who can’t find her teeth.
“I knew I wanted to direct this one because I thought it had the most potential for comedy, and I love making an audience laugh,” Balaskas said.
She highlighted cast members Avery Sawatski and Eleanor Rackow, who have the biggest roles as the sisters at the center of the action. “They are both working extremely hard to memorize their lines and give the best performance possible,” she said. “I also want to mention McKenzie Zimmer as Grandma, because it’s not easy to play a character much older than yourself, and McKenzie is handling it beautifully.”
In “Paranormal High School,” Samantha Manning will direct a cast of 21 in a show that’s usually targeted at high school students, but in this case has its mix of middle schoolers as well.
“Everyone in the cast is a ‘seasoned professional’ at Covered Bridge, having performed in our shows for many years prior,” Manning said. “It just makes sense for them to step up into the teenage show. Here, they can learn more than they ever have and work at a different level than our younger kids do. Even though most of them are in middle school, having worked with them before showed me they had the ability to take on this show and all its elements.”
The show is a comedy that takes place at Bram Stoker High School, where the students convince their English teacher, Mrs. Lear, to direct the show “MacBeth” after they read it in class. They research the supposed curse surrounding the play, and mysterious things soon happen to their production.
“I knew directing a comedy with paranormal aspects would be something like no other,” Manning said. “I’m excited to bring this show to life.”
One of the unique elements of the show is that it doesn’t feature typical leads. “The lines are pretty evenly split up, instead of having one character basically run the show,” Manning said. “I was able to cast so many of the kids with great parts unlike roles they have played before.”
Working with an experienced group of theater kids also made a big difference for Manning.
“Since I know a lot of these students already, we were able to jump right into the show with no awkwardness or hesitation,” she said. “I have felt comfortable giving them direction throughout the show, while they have been able to take risks and truly step into their roles. This unique dynamic comes from the fact that we have known each other for years and are comfortable working alongside one another.”
Manning enjoyed how the cast has learned to appreciate the show’s dry humor.
“Watching them dive into this process on stage is truly hilarious because the delivery of the jokes and lines are something unique to them,” she said. “The element of surprise is throughout this show, keeping the audience on the edge of their seat ready to laugh.”
‘One in a Million’ and ‘Paranormal High School’
When: ‘One in a Million’: 6 p.m. May 13, 4:30 p.m. May 14, 2 p.m. May 15; ‘Paranormal High School’: 8:30 p.m. May 13, 7 p.m. May 14, 4:30 p.m. May 15
Where: Tinley Park Performing Arts Center, 16801 S. 80th Ave., Tinley Park
Tickets: $8
Information: 708-342-4200; tinleyparkdistrict.org
Jeff Banowetz is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
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