AND THEN JUNIE B JONES MOVED TO WELLSBORO

 AND THEN JUNIE B JONES MOVED TO WELLSBORO
​by Barbara Biddison

Twenty-one kids and about 8 staff, including various aspects of tech, with Thomas Putnam heading it all up.  The same Junie B. Jones character (as in the February Elkland show) but played by a different actress, and a whole bunch of different kids.  This winter theatre arts camp is always a welcome cold-weather treat, and those few weeks culminate in performance---this time a March Friday night and a Satirday night in the Coolidge. The auditoriam was packed both nights with not a single empty seat.  Parents and grandparents and sisters and brothers and neighbors and classmates and just about everybody who wanted to see and support this special program.

I ushered for both performances and so saw it twice.  Just sitting there watching it is a thrill.  The audience is super-attentive, the director is right there in the front row with script before him, and I'm sure all that contributes to the confidence that these young students exhibit.  They are playing to a full house, absolutely full, and they seem to love it!

So a few words about the value of such an experience.  Value for students of course, to be sure. but also value for parents/grandparents/neighbors and even teachers. Best of all, it's
fun!  And, once the students get the hang of it, they can learn it and "let go."  Besides which, the director is sitting right there, and he would offer a quick prompt if he saw a blank face and an "oh no" look about it.  To learn about personal confidence in this way  is of ever-lasting value.  To trust yourself and to trust the one who could really help you is important with many life experiences--not just in theatre arts camp.

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