All the world's a stage

IRONWOOD - The Historic Ironwood Theatre is hosting a production by the Carnegie Library's Drama Group of 23 actors and three crew members today for around 600 local students.

Dress rehearsal was Monday night, with the thespians in full costume and the make-up artist taking notes for the performance.

Brett Daniels, a senior at Luther L. Wright, is reprising his role as the Rooster in "Henny Penny." Today's performance will be the fourth under his belt, and he didn't have any butterflies Monday.

"The more people in the audience, the better I perform," Daniels said.

The experience of working with the drama group has been positive, Daniels said. "It's a great group of people, I've enjoyed it a lot."

Bailey Barthel, Elizabeth Beekman, and Vivian Gammill are acting as the Kabuki Chorus in "Small Crimson Parasol."

Elizabeth Beekman, a tenth grader at LLW, has enjoyed the group as well as her role.

"We're commentators," Beekman said, "we help the storyteller tell the story."

"It's really fun, and it's helped me come out of my shell," Beekman said. "There's nothing like this at school." Today's crowd will be the biggest Beekman has performed for. "We want the kids to enjoy it as much as we have."

Gamill, a senior at LLW, enjoys the flamboyance of her role, and said that she aims to make today's performance "creative, bold and vibrant" for the kids in the audience.

"I feel pretty good about it," Gamill said, "I want to do a good show for the kids."

Barthel, a tenth grader at LLW, enjoys the attitude she gets to exhibit in her role.

"It's a lot of fun," Barthel said.

Acting is something the girls have always wanted to do. Gamill said that when she was young, she would latch on to characters on television and imagine what it would like to be them.

Barthel said she was the same with book and movie characters.

The whole experience "has been amazing," Gamill said. "I've loved working with Mary and the crew."