By Casey Jarmes | The News-Review
SIGOURNEY – Kelly Mousel directed plays at Sigourney Schools for a decade before retiring from drama in 2016. On March 13 and 14, she returned, directing a play adaptation of the children’s novel “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White. The play, starring Isaac Jones as Wilbur and Ella Bahlmann as Charlotte, tells the story of a spider attempting to save a young pig from being eaten by writing out words of praise in her spiderwebs. The play drew in hundreds on both of its nights, with part of the massive crowd standing in the back of the gym to see the show.
“I like to do family oriented plays,” said Mousel. “I like to do productions to bring the whole entire family out. It’s important that parents, family-oriented people around small towns, they don’t have to always leave the kids at home. You get them involved, and the earlier they see a stage, the earlier that they think, ‘Hey, I could do that someday.'”
Mousel returned, for one year, after being asked to rebuild Sigourney’s drama program. Assisting in directing was Kaitlyn Murphy, who plans to take over the drama program next year. When asked why she agreed to help direct, Murphy stated “Because Kelly is phenomenal, and I wanted to learn from the best.”
Mousel stated that she decided to pass the baton to Murphy due to having seen Murphy star in speech and drama at Keota while in high school. This was Murphy’s first play as a director.
“I was in this play in high school, and I was actually Templeton the Rat, so that was why we chose this play, because I kind of knew what was going on. But otherwise, challenges, there’s just a lot of kids involved. Which is great, because we’re trying to build up the program,” said Murphy.
The play featured a massive ensemble featuring 61 different junior high and high school students. “Never ever ever have we had a practice with everybody here,” Mousel said a few days before opening night. “At least two, three people have been gone every single time.”
“We’re all really excited that we heard that Ms. Mousel is coming back, so it’s awesome to kind of experience this, and we’re really excited to show the community…I mean, everyone talks about how great (Mousel) was. I also just thought it’d just be a great experience to carry on with me for life too,” said Brynn Clarahan, who played Fern Arable.
Rounding out the cast were Kayla Renner as Martha Arable, Jacob Randall-Blaske as Avery Arable, Brayden Wood as Homer Zuckerman, Devyn Smallwood as Edith Zuckerman, Hayden Bensmiller as Lurvy, Sadie Clarahan as Goose, Cooper Hammes as Gander, Ella Fineran as Sheep, Ella Bruns as Lamb, John Berg as Templeton, Drew Bahlman as Uncle, and Atticus Boorman, Lance Walden, Hunter Sellers, Aidyn Parker, Andrew McLennan and Tierney Greiner in various minor roles.
The play also featured a Narration/Ensemble consisting of Carmelita Cave, Jasey Ingle, Karma Coble, Aidyn Parker, Chris McLennan, Aiden Knepper, Adalynne Tremmel, Brayden Sines, Emerie McCulley, Abyl McCulley, Emerson Snakenberg, Bella deOliveira, Kenzi VanDenHeuvel and Paxton Wehr; Kinley Weber, Quinton Wehr, Jayde Snakenberg, Bentlee Rush, Jayden Jensen, Taylor Goldman, Nile Sellers, Deven Foset, Maddoux Bell, Brody Seeley, Drake Seeley, Tristen Heisdorffer, Lee Walden and Kellen Webb as Fair Attendees; and Piper Hewitt, Zoey Dehne and Jayde Snakenberg as Charlotte’s daughters. Chloe Martin, Cooper Moore, Gram Mitchell, Gabe Thompson, Blake Brown and Ellie Ireland worked bakcstage. The tech team consisted of Ashytn Tish, Cole Klett, Eden Hahn, Levi Weber, Wyatt Wehr, Ellie Yates, Addy Yates and Emily Snedigar.
“It’s different than what I’m used to,” said Devyn Smallwood. “I’m used to sports, but this is a different perspective for me, a different way to get involved…I thought it would be a lot of fun. My sisters were involved in the play, and I figured, why not?” said Smallwood.
“Especially the role I’m playing, I feel like it fits me well, and I felt like it would be fun to get a lot of laughs,” said John Berg.
“I think it’s fun because we’re all actually very similar to the characters that we play, and I think that it’s fun like seeing that and having that on display,” said Smallwood.
“I think the directors did a great job picking honestly what would be easiest for us to do, and it’s very comparable to like who we’re playing. So I think that’s awesome,” said Clarahan.
Especially charming about the play was its production design, with the stage transformed into a barn and Ella Bahlman crawling across barn beams set up by Bill Tremmel, in front of a projected image of a spider-web. The main set was created by Mousel and several sophomore boys, while Murphy, her family, junior high kids, and Melissa Bird of Celebration Rentals creating a mini-county fair by the gym’s bleachers. During intermission, the county fair stands were opened, allowing attendees to purchase fair food and enter prize raffles.
“I mean, there’s definitely a lot of hard hours that we’ve put into this,” said Clarahan. “We’ve been doing it since after Christmas break, and we know that our directors have also been doing it. I mean, it’s like, you look around here, it’s crazy the amount of work, time and effort that they’ve put into this.”
“There’s a lot of unnoticed work that goes in and I think that just needs to be recognized,” said Smallwood.
“I like when they run around. Lurvy, Mrs. Zuckerman, Homer, they’re all running around chasing Wilbur, and that’s pretty funny,” said Berg, referencing a scene where Wilbur runs away from the farm, through the crowd, while chased by the farmers.
“It kind of gets the crowd involved. He’s running around the gym, and everyone’s going to be watching. It’s pretty funny,” said Clarahan.
“I think that’s the comedic relief we need,” said Smallwood.
“We’ve been working really hard on it, and it’s all going to come together. So we’re excited to show the community, and hopefully they come out and support us,” said Clarahan, a few days before the show.
