Social - January 2004

Plays appeal to families and kids

By DIANE TURBYFILL, Staff Writer

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How to properly ride in the car during family trips?

How to enjoy French fries and gross out your sister simultaneously?

The Lincoln Theatre Guild’s upcoming production of “How to Eat Like a Child” answers these questions and more.

The humorous musical offers insider secrets from children.

“It’s a funny script with great, upbeat music,” said Andrea Tripodi, the play’s director.

The ensemble cast of 17 children confides in their audiences. They share their deepest secrets and code of ethics — describing the best ways to stay home sick from school and the proper pattern for mashed potato mountains.

“How to Eat Like a Child” will open Thursday along with another one-act play geared towards children and family.

“Wiley and the Hairy Man” takes audiences into the home of a young boy and his mammy. Wiley wakes one morning, fresh out of a nightmare about the infamous Hairy Man.

His mammy, an expert conjurer, gives him the necessary tools to beat the villain.

Wiley sets out to find his nemesis with his dog because — as the trees repeat — “The Hairy Man don’t like dogs. Everybody knows that. Everybody knows that.”

Director Jan Harris says the play has good old southern appeal. The folk tale was rewritten by author Susan Zedder.

“It has a lot of rhyme and rhythm in it,” Harris said. “We’ve had a lot of fun. We’ve laughed a lot.”

She said the set for the show has provided an opportunity to be creative. The chorus — composed of four teenagers — provides sound and scenery. They become trees, benches and fireplaces.

“It’s been challenging to perform all that physicality,” said Harris.

Both Tripodi and Harris have worked to teach the children about theater as they prepared for the performances. They hope to encourage children to find an interest in the performing arts, Tripodi said.

Harris teaches theater at Gaston High School, and Tripodi is the administrator with the Theatre Guild. Both have volunteered with the organization for years.

Tripodi said the two one-act plays feature children and are geared towards families. She said the guild is responding to a demand for family entertainment.

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The Lincoln Theatre Guild will produce “Wiley and the Hairy Man” and “How to Eat Like a Child” Thursday, Jan. 22 through Saturday, Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 25 at 3 p.m. at the Lincoln Cultural Center.

Tickets are $7 for students and seniors and $10 for adults and may be purchased in advance or at the door. For details call 704-735-2281.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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