Charlotte's Web Opens at Fenton High School

Fenton sophomore Sarah Cubr used some unusual inspiration to portray her character in Fenton High School's presentation of Charlotte's Web.

“I watched a lot of hunting videos on Youtube,” said Cubr, who added she also watched the animated version film to gain some knowledge.

Bubr plays a goose in the classic tale and waddles around the stage, using a high-pitched voice to act like the animal as much as she could.

Charlotte's Web will be performed at 7 p.m. on May 20 and at 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on May 21 at the Ruby F. Zima Auditorium at . Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students for the Saturday evening show. $5 tickets are available for the 2:30 p.m. show Saturday.   

The children's classic by E.B. White is about a pig who is saved from slaughter not once, but several times by a girl, played by student Farrell Tatum and a spider, played by Jannah Garback—with some help from the other barnyard animals.

The endearing tale came to life on the Ruby F. Zima stage Thursday with animal and human characters sharing the spotlight. Amy Harris providing musical emphasis with her violin.

Though the costumes and make-up helped the characters transform into sheep, geese, pigs and more, the actors had to do a bit more to really make them come alive.

Fenton junio Carlos Westbrook plays Templeton the rat. On stage he was decked out in a black trench coat and long rat tail and talked with a sneer.

“I had to try to find my inner sleaze,” said Westbrook, who studied pictures of rats to prepare. “It wasn't easy.”

While Westbrook has played an animal on stage before as the Griffon in Alice in Wonderland, this is Cubr's first time.

“It's refreshing,” said Cubr, “It's a lot of fun to get to become something non-human.”

The play runs a little over an hour, providing entertainment along with a message about the value of friendship and the lengths a friend will go to help another without expecting anything in return.

“It's the perfect mother-daughter event,” said Vicki Stratton of Fenton, who was there with her young daughter, whose friend played one of the goslings. “We really enjoyed it.”