McLean Connection - The Connection Newspapers

Curtains Presented at Langley High

McLean Summer Theatre Program brings middle, high school students together.
By Nikki Cheshire, The Connection Tuesday, August 03, 2010

When in search of summer activities to keep children busy over the summer, the most popular choices are traditionally summer camps and sports programs. But other areas of talent are often overlooked outside of camps and school. That is, until the McLean Summer Theatre Program came around. Founded three years ago by a few teachers and theater lovers, including current program and production director Meg Baber, the McLean Summer Theatre Program provides an outlet for children who otherwise would have none over the summer, according to Baber. The children are kept busy working up to their annual production, rehearsing five hours a day, five days a week for three weeks. You really get to see how much the kids come together, Baber said. She added that its beneficial for the middle school-aged children to meet with the high schoolers, and build a foundation of friends before they enter into a new school as freshmen. Recently, the program, which is open to children from all over the area, put on a production of Curtains, a musical mystery which takes place on a Boston stage and follows the story of a troubled cast who, enveloped in murders and scandals, look to the help of a detective to aide them in solving the crime as well as putting on a great play. We chose to do Curtains this year because of how it gives opportunities to lots of different kids, said Baber. It features kids who can sing, kids who can dance and kids who can act.

Photo by Nikki Cheshire/The Connection Curtains featured a cast of 43 teens from several middle and high schools in the area.

Contributed Cast Members Becca Allen, Alex Don and Molly Moran in the McLean Summer Theatre Programs production of Curtains.

In the end, all the students work seemed to pay off, as the actors left the Langley High School stage, embracing their castmates and bowing in front of a large audience and a several minute long round of applause following the Contributed performance last Thursday. I thought the show was great, said audience member Lisa Sulliean, a McLean resident. Not only was it a great mystery, but it was also a subtle comedy. The play is directed by Meg Baber from Cooper Middle School, assisted by Cristi Goldberg, choreographer; Lori Taylor, music director; Wendy Mueller, artistic director; and Hannah Goldberg, assistant choreographer.

They're In the Same Boat in Curtains. From left are Kathleen Welch, Sarah Larkworthy and Kaitryn Evans.

Contributed Jack Flatley plays Aaron Fox and Amelia Welch is Georgia