Westwood Students to Hit the Stage this Weekend

Think of them as young thespians. 

A group of young Westwood students, from the elementary to middle school level, are about to hit the stage for a strongly-rehearsed junior version of the famed musical, "Guys and Dolls."

The production, which kicks off Friday at 7 p.m., is being organized by the Fiddlehead Theater Company in Dedham.

"Guys and Dolls is certainly representative of how we do theater with kids," said Meg Fofonoff, Executive Director of Fiddlehead. "We are very careful in choosing shows that we do. Guys and Dolls as a show is something that has enough good parts for everybody, so that everyone can sink their teeth into something at the same time. We do it in the vein of showing kids what real theater is. We really do theater in the real theater sense."

She added, "It's an interesting show. It's really exiting to me, because Guys and Dolls is one of the great musicals, a classic piece of Broadway, but I'm always so impressed again and again by kids and by how motivated the are and how intelligent they are and really how open they are."

Among the area students that are acting in the production are Westwood students Benjamin Dubiner, a sixth grader at starring as the character Sky Masterson; Shelly Hed, a fifth grader at starring as Sarah Brown; and Chloe Goodman, a fourth grader at Downey starring as Miss Adelaide. 

"She works at the hot box," Goodman said of her character. "She's one of the hot box girls along with one of her best friends."

Goodman, who has been acting since she was about 6 years old, has taken part in theater programs through the . The Fiddlehead program, she said, has helped bring her love for acting a step further.

"I think it's a chance to be artsy and creative," she said of acting, a career she said she hopes to pursue down the road. 

In terms of her work at Fiddlehead, Goodman says she's learned quite a bit in terms of her art.

"I've learned how to improv," she said. "How to make the audience know what's happening. Sometimes I get nervous, sometimes I don't."

Fiddlehead, established 18 years ago, provides educationally-based theater programs for students. For some of the younger students, famous plays are modified into "junior versions" to accommodate the age groups.

"We are a professional theater company, so education is just a piece of what we do," Fofonoff said. "It's about camaraderie, teamwork. It's very much about what we all create together. The kids live for the day, when they perform the final show."

Hed, who has worked with both Dubiner and Goodman in the past in such programs as the Westwood Recreation Departmen's program, began her journey into theater four years ago when she was in first grade. She said Fiddlehead's staff has helped her to learn the basics of performing on stage.

"They test you on how well you can sing and how well you can act, and try to place you on a part that's more suited to your ability," she said. "We have to practice as much as possible. Sometimes people bringing their scripts into school so they can practice at recess. One day (Chloe and I) happened to bring in our scripts and happened to put on a performance for the other fourth graders." 

In the same light, Goodman said she loves practicing, even during the week while not at Fiddlehead.

"I usually practice at night," Goodman said. "When I'm done with my homework."

For Dubiner, the experience has been nothing short of entertaining. 

"It's really fun working on this play," he said. "I really enjoy my role as Sky Masterson. Miss Meg, the director, and Miss Jen, the costume designer, as well as the other Fiddlehead staff, are really great go work with. I'm really learning a lot from them."

And their parents couldn't be happier with the way things have worked out at Fiddlehead.

"The instruction at Fiddlehead is great," said Melissa Hed, Shelly's mother. "They care about the quality of production, and they're really friendly."

For Richard Goodman, Chloe's father, and mother Suzanne, the experience of watching their daughter evolve to Fiddlehead from the Westwood Recreation program is something they said has been inspiring.

"Sitting in the audience, as somebody who has played sports, when you're out there, you can control how much you react to situations," Richard Goodman said. "But as a proud father, I sit there on the edge of my seat just beaming, and she just lights up my life watching her perform. She goes up there and puts on a show."

Dubiner's mother, Deb, said she was more than proud of the work her son has done with the program.

"It is exciting that they get to work together in such a great play," she said. "And the staff at Fiddlehead has been wonderful. We can't wait to see the outcome of all their hard work."

In addition to Goodman, Hed and Dubiner, fifth grader Jacob Leader and sixth grader Gavin Lombard will star as Nicely Johnson and Angie the Ox in the production, respectively. 

Dress rehearsals for the musical were held on Monday and Wednesday this week. The production itself is not open to the general public, Fofonoff said, as seating is limited, and tickets are given to parents of the actors to sell to family and friends.