CHS Actors Present Dramatic Works by South Mountain Students

Elementary-age writers saw their works of fiction brought to dramatic life on Thursday by high school drama students. The project was the brainchild of CHS drama teacher Stacey Lawrence and the second- and fourth-grade teachers at South Mountain School in South Orange.

Drama students improvised and interpreted stories and poems scripted by the younger children into performances called "The Write Stuff" on the South Mountain stage.

Authors included Cosimo Fabrizio and Reece McLean, fourth graders who penned "Ujima," a story inspired by The Three Doctors: teenage boys from the streets of Newark who made a pack to stick together, go to college, and become doctors. After reading, "We Beat the Street," Cosmo said he collaborated "to show kids how to do the right thing."

Actor Keith Cyriaque, a Columbia High School 11th grader, said being part of "Ujima" was his best scene. "At first I didn't get it," the actor said of the story with the strange name. (The title comes from the Kwanzaa celebration, Cosimo and Reece explained, for collective work and responsibility). That meaning became clear once the actor read the script. The boys have a "maturity beyond their years to show how someone can make a difference if they put their mind to it," Cyriaque said.

The stories and poems were scripted in the South Mountain classrooms of Sara Juhlin, Michelle Ducharme and Laurina Savatierri. Three high school drama classes were involved in interpreting the writings for the stage. "It was fun to see our creation come to life," Cosimo said.

Second-grade poems about hummingbirds, cheetahs and snakes were brought fully alive with movement, rhythm and music. Skits featured kinetic acting— Joseph Vest, a CHS senior, dazzled the kids with cartwheels—and comedy.

"We tried to make our story ('The Magic Fortune Cookie') a fairy tale that people would actually laugh at," said Michael Siskind, a fourth grader. "When it was acted it was funnier than we thought it would be."

Lawrence said the opportunity to combine writing with a dramatic arts experience was beneficial to both groups of students. "It was nice to bridge this age and for the kids to see that their writing is important," said Lawrence, who is also a South Mountain parent.

Her daughters Chloe and Sophie Lawrence "were instrumental in inspiring me to do this with their classes this year," Lawrence said. Sophie, who wrote a poem titled "me me me," and Chloe, who wrote the play "Rich Spender," enjoyed being part of the creative process. "It's a great thing for the arts at our school," Chloe said.