By MacKenzie Reagan
There are many opportunities for local children to try their hands at musical theater, from school plays to local theater companies. But performing a famous work can be daunting for many students, and the content isn’t always appropriate for little ears.
Elizabeth Malone, theater and media arts teacher at Thoreau Middle School in Vienna, sometimes adapts plays to make them more appropriate for younger audiences.
“There are certain topics that they’re very able to handle, but I also want to make sure that we do work that’s a little more family-friendly and a little more PG, PG-13,” she says.
But she tries to make as few changes as possible.
“If it’s something that’s vital to the story … then I don’t feel that it needs to be censored,” she says. “If it’s being used to teach students a lesson about history, about being a better person … I definitely don’t think it should be censored.” For instance, a few years ago, a production of The Sound of Music was an opportunity for her students to learn about World War II.
Luke Hemmingson, a student at Marshall High School, stars in the school’s production of Loserville, based on the music of Sons of Dork.
“There are certain lines that have to be cut for the audiences that we’re playing towards,” he says.
Other theaters begin with junior versions of popular plays that are specifically designed with younger actors in mind. Music Theatre International provides modified scripts for educators that censor content and adapt musical numbers to suit young voices.
Catherine Wittig of Northern Virginia Players, a homeschool theater group, is in the process of rehearsing for a production of Shrek: The Musical Jr.
The edits are “for the actor, not the audience,” she explains during a break from tech week.
“We have a lot of high school students involved, so our junior versions tend to be more like the full versions in terms of our production, our set and our costumes,” Wittig says.
Malone organizes Mayfest Playfest, a festival featuring 10-minute plays written and performed by students from area schools on May 14. More info
Marshall High’s production of Loserville runs through April 30. More info
Northern Virginia Players’ production of Shrek: The Musical Jr. runs through April 30. More info
