“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
A.A. Milne’s classic “Winnie the Pooh” sentiment will be front and center on stage as local young performers take the spotlight for this year’s Rising Stars Youth Theater Experience. Presented by the Macomb Arts Center, the annual showcase returns to Western Illinois University’s Hainline Theatre with a central theme of gratitude—a lesson woven directly into the original productions.
Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m., Friday, July 31, and a matinee at 2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 1.
Admission is $5 at the door for regular tickets, while children ages five and under can attend for free.
This year's showcase features four original short plays, each penned and summarized directly by the student playwrights themselves. First, is “Twin Trade” (by Vada L.): “There are two twins named Dylan and Lucas. They are ungrateful for each other’s talents and they trade places for a day because they think that their talent is harder than their sibling’s. They soon realize that everyone is different and they should be grateful for their own talents and hobbies.”
Next, is “Attitude to Gratitude” (by Charlie S.): “A fun, adventurous story about a cat and a dog who get lost in the woods and find new friends. They learn to become buddies and come home with a better attitude!”
The third play scheduled is called “Finders Keepers” (by Mykka M.): “Finders Keepers is about a jungle where the plants and animals don’t like each other. Animal Benji and Plant Autumn work together to convince the plants and animals that they can work together and that they should be grateful for each other.”
And lastly, “Banished” (by Hannah A.): “Banished is a fantasy story that teaches people that sometimes if you think someone’s evil, it doesn’t always mean they are. You can’t judge a book by its cover just because one bad thing happens. Banished teaches us multiple life lessons, one of which is to be grateful.”
For more information regarding tickets and event details, visit the Macomb Arts Center (macombartscenter. org) ahead of Friday’s curtain call.
Photos courtesy of the Macomb Arts Center
