‘Gooney Bird Greene’ at the WPAC

The Wilson Performing Arts Center is beginning the new year with a special local production.
“Gooney Bird Greene and Her True Life Adventures” takes to the Wilson Performing Arts Center stage  Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m., and Jan. 24 and 25 at 2:30 p.m. The show is being directed by Laura LaPrell, a familiar face at the Wilson.
“This will be the second show I’ve officially done for the Wilson. I’ve done camps and things, and we brought a home school show here as well, but that wasn’t through the Wilson, I rented the stage for that. Being able to direct a show through the WPAC is great because you can have the space from the beginning for kids who’ve never been in a show before. I think it helps them to see what it all entails; learning on stage, being able to be there from the start makes it easier for them than rehearsing in one space and then transferring to here,” explained LaPrell.
When she was considering options for a show, LaPrell said she was drawn to Gooney Bird for several reasons.
“I was looking for a children’s play in particular. I found this show and it has a lot of characters but there was also flexibility in the casting. Depending on numbers of people who came out for it, I could make it work big or small. The big thing that drew me in was the story. It is just full of imagination and energy,” commented LaPrell.
LaPrell said the title character, Gooney Bird Green, is new to the school and tells stories that seem like they’re not true, but that’s not quite the case.
“When she gets into the details and then we see the stories being reenacted, we realize that when she said she came from China, she did come from China. It just was just a town called China in the United States, and not the country. Another example is that she may tell a story that she got diamond earrings from Mr. Prince at the palace, but they’re from a bubblegum machine and the palace is an ice cream shop and Mr. Prince is the name of her neighbor. She tells stories that turn out to be true, just not quite the way the other classmates expect,” stated LaPrell. The students, at first, are skeptical. Some of them think she’s weird or cool or something interesting at least. And then by the end, they are all wanting more and more stories to be told by Gooney Bird. They beg their teacher every day, and the teacher gives in every day so they can hear yet another story.”
LaPrell said the cast of the show is made up of some familiar faces, as well as plenty of brand new performers.
“The show has some kids I’ve had in the home school shows, or in camps I’ve done here before, and some kids I’ve never met before. Some have never even been in a show before. We have 17 young people, ages 8 to 16 years old. Gooney Bird is played by Romie Wells. She’s a 9 year old student from the East Mills School District.”
LaPrell said it’s exciting to bring the show to kids that are familiar with theater, as well as those that have taken to the stage for the first time.
“I look at it first as an educational experience for them. Some of them didn’t know things like stage directions or what it really takes to put a show together. I have them working on tech as well, so they’ve been here several different times just for the purpose of helping make props, paint things, and that sort of thing so that they can have their hands on that side of theater. Some of them might try this and then realize they like technical theater better, for example. I want them to see that we can appreciate all the hard work from all angles of the process too,” commented LaPrell. “I also pause and take breaks during rehearsals and play games sometimes because it’s a lot for kids to go to school all day and then come here and be expected to focus and work hard and be quiet when it’s not their turn to speak on stage. They really enjoy the theater games that we’ve played. Most of them do at least, and they have had a lot of good laughter from that. I would like to continue offering that kind of thing because I see quite a good response from them.”
One of LaPrell’s favorite aspects of the show is the method used to bring Gooney Bird’s stories to life for an audience.
“We’re doing a more cartoon approach to the props. When she’s in the classroom, it’s realistic. But when she tells her story, we’re going to have the reenactment players in more exaggerated, colorful costumes. All the props are made out of foam that have been drawn and colored by the kids and cut out. There’s a station wagon built and painted out of cardboard and it’s on wheels. When they’re packing the car and we see them loading things like a stack of suitcases. It’s a drawing of a stack of suitcases on foam board that’s been cut out and painted. We’re going with a lot of vivid colors to make Gooney Bird’s imagination come to life,” explained LaPrell. “That’s been a really fun part of the project. The cast have all had a hand in the creation of the props, and it’s been a great thing for them to be able to say they made those things. It’s also been fun working and teaching and playing games with all of these kids.”
The show is one hour, and LaPrell said they’re doing a change-up in performance times from other shows.
We are doing two matinees instead of the later evening shows because we hope to see a lot of kids in the audience. Gooney Bird started as a book written by Lois Lowry, and this show is an adaptation of that book. A lot of classroom teachers will have read it to their kids or the kids may have picked it up on their own, and we’re hoping they’ll want to come and see it. We went with the weekend matinee format so kids don’t have to stay out too late or miss their nap time or whatever. We’re doing this format to help make it easier for families and young people to come to the show,” said LaPrell. “The idea is to show young people what theater can be or just give them that first experience of watching a play because that’s oftentimes where it starts. My hope is that we will continue to offer them opportunities here if they like what they saw, and they want to try it themselves.”
In additionj to Romie Wells, the cast includes Madison Ripplinger, Maggie Wells, Ofelia Balta, Stella Beeson, Anna LaPrell, MacKenzie Wells, Brooks Duysen, Jack Homan, Jade Jensen, Marin Kucirek, Rebel Thoren, Joslyn Thomason, Renae Ripplinger, Betsy Smith, Noah LaPrell, and Justus Thomason.
Later this year, July 6-12, LaPrell will be hosting a summer theater camp at the Wilson.
“We’re doing an adaptation of the children’s book, “The Day the Crayons Quit.” It will be a one-week camp in July where they will help adapt that book into a script. They’ll make props, they’ll make costumes, they will learn the performance and present it at the end of the week. It’s open to kids ages six to 12.”
Tickets for “Gooney Bird Greene and Her True Life Adventures” are $20, and can be reserved by calling 623-3183 or visiting wilsonartscenter.org. Those interested in the summer camp may register online or by phone as well.