Driver Middle School Drama Club Presents “Tom Sawyer”

The wit and wisdom of Mark Twain was clearly on display as the Driver Middle School (DMS) Drama Club presented the musical production of “Tom Sawyer” on December 17th and 18th in the Aitchison Auditorium at DMS. An amazing array of colorful period perfect costumes and backgrounds set the stage for the talented ensemble cast and lead actors to work their magic. From Tom and Huck to Becky Thatcher to Aunt Polly to the scary Injun Joe the Aitchison stage was alive with Tom Sawyer’s familiar adventures along the Mississippi River. Musical selections included “Ride the River of Dreams”, “Painting the Fence”, “We Are the Children of the Maker”, and “The Trouble with Tom Is He Is Bad”.

When an audience attends a theatrical performance they are viewing the finished product. That “on stage” performance is the result of countless hours of work and preparation. Alexandra Novak, Marcellus Senior High School senior, interviewed several Tom Sawyer cast members to discover the “behind the scenes” story for the young Tom Sawyer actors. Her story follows:

The Time of Their Lives’
By Alexandra Novak

Walking into the dimly lit auditorium, I’m immediately greeted with the sound of confident voices rehearsing their lengthy lines. Once adjusted to the darkness, the scene occurring on stage comes into focus. The ever clever Tom Sawyer is conning a queue of his unsuspecting cronies out of their “prized possession” for a few strokes of a paint brush. The students appeared at ease on the stage; as if acting came as natural as breathing.
At this point, I’m led to the area where the remaining cast members await their turn. Brushing aside the divider-like curtain, I step into a different world. Here, it’s chaotic; bustling with youthful energy that’s nearly infectious. Wide-eyed 7th and 8th graders stare at me; after all, I’m foreign to their native world of theater. An unseen voice from the stage breaks their gaze and within seconds, the crowd scatters. Before all is lost, I interview Andrew Murphy, a 7th grader in the production. Clad in a black, gingham, button-up shirt and suspenders, topped off with a straw hat, Andrew proudly informs me that he plays the “town drunk.” Based on his enthusiastic answer, I can only surmise that this is a distinguished role amongst the students. His answer was heartfelt, he went on to exclaim that “this is an amazing feeling, being able to work with these guys-they’re an amazing group.” The sense of coming-togetherness tended to be a mutual feeling shared by many of the cast members. Joe Quigley, a 7th grader portraying the role of Huckleberry Finn described his experience as being “hard work because you have to memorize a lot of lines but in the end it will pay off when I hear the audience clapping. We’ve all worked really hard for this; they’re a great group.”
The theater is a melting pot where students from all backgrounds are able to come together and reap the fruits of their labors. It’s a combined effort that involves the talents of every participating student. When I had first entered the dimly lit auditorium, I was confused as to why these students had decided to voluntarily devote hours of their precious time to a school production. I walked out of the dark auditorium into the brightly lit hallway enlightened by the answers the students had given me. They viewed the countless hours of rehearsal not as being tedious, but as an enriching experience filled with memories and new friendships. Their enthusiasm towards the theater had contributed to making this occurrence the time of their lives’.

Cast and crew are listed below:

The Boys:
Tom Sawyer – Neil Minet
Sid Sawyer – Juliana Beratta
Huck Finn – Joe Quigley
Joe Harper – Kaelee Waldref
Jeff Thatcher – Mark Santariello
Ben Rogers – Bryce Boynton
Jim Hollis – Julia Holynski
Ted Austin – Adella Roberts
Jimmy – Erika Fiumara

The Girls:
Becky Thatcher – Audrey Cerrone
Amy Lawrence – Hannah Zimmer
Lyda Hollis – Keelin Kelly
Cousin Mary – Erica Ylitalo
Suzie Harper – Rebecca Martin
Faith Harper – Kristen Goodwin
Hope Austin – Hannah Abbott
Sally Rogers – Audrey Frajda
Sarah – Alex Bandera
Louise – Alexandra Cormack
Tess – Regina Perry

The Guardians:

Aunt Polly – Mary Morocco
Judge Thatcher – Ian Tock
Mrs. Thatcher – Colleen Ferguson
Mrs. Harper – Ally Burrows

The “Villians”:
Doc Robinson – Matt Bailey
Muff Potter – Andrew Murphy
Injun Joe – Matt Gooden

Outstanding Members of the Community:

Widow Douglas – Gabby Coon
Reverend Walters – Mackenzie Sadler
School Mistress – Ali Stevens

Crew:

Director – Ryann Riefler
Stage Manager - Maggie Fiacchi
Stage Crew - Colin McCormick, Marykate McHale, Genna Rao, Sean Winoski
Prop Room – Sarah Burke
Sound – Emma Beaulieu
Light Board – Cecil Nelson
Spot Lights – Bobby Mayers, Peter Rao
Accompaniment – Rebekah Mullins and Michael Clark
Acting Coach – Sophia Beratta
Vocal Coach – Adina Martin
Costumer - Barbara Toman
High School Support Staff – Lauren Drapikowski, Kiley Clancy, Natalie Fournier, Roxie Novak, Emily Martens, Abby Vensel

Special Thanks To:
Barbara Toman
Colleen Ferguson
Mary Morocco
Mrs. Morocco
Minet Family
Mrs. Fiacchi
Mrs. McHale