Center students present ‘Beauty and the Beast’

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Neighbors | Submitted.Taking care of the behind-the-scenes work for Boardman Center's Beauty and theBeast, Jr. production are, from left, (front) Abby Slater, Kelly Tomcsanyi, Sam DiGiacomo,Christa Shirilla, Kelly Kratofil, Mimi Shorokey, Quinton Currier, Jonathan Ouimet, Kevin Terlecky; (back) Nicole Sanfilippo, Stefen Roth, Caroline Constantinovich, Melanie Banko, Mrs. Conroy (stage crew director), Adam Sinclair, Stefan Lasnansky and Marty Strong. Missing from picture are Abbey Johnson, Luke Marsco and Julia McNally.

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Neighbors | Submitted.Eric Bramer will play the Beast and Sarah Demetruk is the lead as Belle for Boardman Center Middle School's production of Beauty and the Beast March 24-25.

After months of memorizing lines and building stage scenery, the Boardman Center drama club will raise the curtain on its spring performance of “Beauty and the Beast, Jr.” this week.

The cast and crew will perform three shows, including one for the students, one for local elementary classes and a community performance.

The community performance is Thursday at 7 p.m. in the school’s Large Auditorium. Ticket prices are $5 for adults, $3 for students and children under 5 and senior citizens are admitted free. Donations will be accepted at the door. The show for elementary classes is Tuesday and Center’s students can see the play at the school’s performance Wednesday.

This year’s spring production is the 11th play directed by Pam Grabman, who was instrumental in starting Center’s drama club in 1999. It started with a writing assignment she presented to one of her language arts classes 11 years ago.

The assignment was to write a persuasive letter and Courtney Stevens, one of Grabman’s students, wrote a letter to Mr. Halbert, Center’s principal at the time, asking if a drama club could be formed. The letter was persuasive enough that Halbert agreed to the start of the drama club as long as Grabman would become the director.

The first play was one of three fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm, which Grabman and Sandy Driscoll (who was the drama club’s costume director for many years) rewrote. It was performed for the fifth-graders at the school.

“I have to say that every year, the talent of these seventh and eighth-graders is astounding. They amaze me with their confidence and ability,” said Grabman.

There are about 50 seventh and eighth-grade students in this year’s drama club. A complete listing of the cast members and the stage crew can be found online at www.boardman.k12.oh.us/bdcm/BCMSDramaC.htm.

In addition to Grabman, several other adults are helping with this year’s spring production. Anne Bott is the assistant director and choreographer. Kristin Conroy is the stage crew director, Mary Lou Rowe is the costume director and Karen Lyn Fisher is the music director and accompanist. Many parents have been helping behind the scenes as well.