by Jane Belden

June 7, I went to see the Pirates of Penzance. It was a full house at the Trinity Alps Performing Arts Center and it was the first school performance to be held there. The Free to Learn Charter School located near Lowden Park produced this wonderful show. The school caters to home school students offering them Art, Music, Theater and other classes to round out their education. Two High School graduates received their diplomas. Ashleigh Gibertson and Grace Rose.

Eighth grade graduates were Rosalee Alvord, Kindra Gilbertson, Zoe Love, Emma Rademaker, and Juniper Rose.

A play called Stone Soup was put on by the younger students. Soldiers: Kobi Carbajal, Ry Hosmer, and Ben Huddleston. Spy was Jabob Chez, Farmer was Nathan Chez, Karen Graves played Ms. Daphne, and Narrators were Isabella Hayes, Rebecca Carbajal, and Olivia Starkey. Ms. Laura was played by Chloe Means. This musical event was choreographed by Suzanne Sullivan and directed by Diana Bordeaux. Lighting was done by Michael Bordeaux and the spotlight operator was Ikaika Means. Sound was run by Jennifer Chez.

Stone Soup and Pirates of Penzance were an outstanding undertaking with kids from age 4 to High School. They have been working on this production for months and it shows in the results. The costumes were perfect. The set designed and built by Michael Bordeaux worked smoothly in the transitions and the crew Areille Riemer, Letty Thompson, Riley Walkner, and John Wheeler did a superb job.

I just sat there with the rest of the audience in sheer amazement and delight at what these kids accomplished, the clear sweet voices of the girls, the fight scenes of the pirates and police, the perfect costumes that put them into that special place that a Gilbert and Sullivan musical takes you. They put on a production that was as close to professional as students can get. It was a shame it was only for one night.

Actors in the play were: Dalton Fitzgerald (The Pirate King), Cameron Hinkle (Frederic), Destiny Fager (Ruth), Sydney Hinkle (Mabel), Zoe Love (Samuel), David Riding (Major General), Samantha Jepsen (Sergeant of Police), Pirates: Natalie Jepson, Melissa Riding, Malachi Starkey, and Justice Tennant. Girls: Larissa Dippery, Camille Hayes, Bay Hosmer, Emma Rademaker, Hannah Rehak, and Brianna Riding. Police: Rosalee Alvord, Jenna Briggs, Jamie Durkin, and Luke Love.

They gave special Thanks to The Trinity Alps Performing Arts Center, and Jim French and Angela Green for their assistance in setting up the Sound and Lighting.

Reprinted courtesy of the Trinity Journal

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