HARDWICK – The Jeudevine Library in Hardwick has its own theatre group now, called the Jeudevine Players and they put on an original play in the late afternoon of December 1 they had written in the Parker Ladd Room of the beautiful new wing.
photo by Paul Fixx
With nine enthusiastic members, the group presented an amusing drama entitled “Where Is… Little Baby Richie?”
In the play, Little Baby Ritchie is kidnapped by Popcorn during his magic show after being introduced by his mother playing ukelele and ending her song with a mysterious, “What will happen, no one knows.”
photo by Paul Fixx
She calls on Officer Bob and three famous Gilbert sister detectives to find Ritchie. They learn Popcorn was once a Gilbert sister who they called weird, so she left and changed her name.
photo by Paul Fixx
As the plot unfolds, innocent Little Baby Richie, played by Reed Banner, is taken away by the kidnapper, played by Nora Dimarco. Little Baby Richie’s mother, portrayed by Rachel Funk, is joined in the search for Little Baby Richie by the three Gilbert Sisters, Amelia Crank (Olive), Isla Black (Onyx) and Ysabel Dimarco (Ondrea) as detective, along with Bob the Police Officer in a role taken by Fritz Notterman.
photo by Paul Fixx
Meanwhile at the hideaway of Popcorn the Kidnapper, Little Baby Richie is tied up and the kidnapper is watching television. Fritz Notterman and Malaky Downing pretend to be commercial ad people and a newscaster on the television screen (a cardboard box) in a comic scene, which somehow leads to a resolution of the whole problem. That involved a promise, through the help of the character Gary Gilbertson (performed by Downing) to guarantee endless popcorn be given to the kidnapper to satisfy her apparently insatiable appetite for popcorn, provided Little Baby Richie is released. So there is a happy ending and everyone celebrates Little Baby Richie’s return home.
photo by Paul Fixx
The lighting for the many scene changes was handled by Madeline Crank.
All the players seemed to be having a lot of fun putting on this show, and there was a good attendance of parents and friends. Children’s theatre is important for kids to discover if they have any natural talent for acting and above all to stretch their imaginations. Writing their own works is an added plus to bringing out their own creativity. We look forward to future productions of the Jeudevine Players.
David K. Rodgers
David K. Rodgers is a writer, mason and card carrying dilettante, who dabbles and babbles in art. He has lived in East Craftsbury for the past 40 years.
