Last year, Franklin School teacher Armine Irving thought it would be a good idea to institute a drama club for the students of the school, to give them an opportunity to learn more about the intricacies of theater.
So the students, who gave of their free time to join the after-school club, jumped head first into drama by performing Shakespeare.
This year, for their second production, Irving wanted to do something a little different – something that everyone could identify with.
“I wanted to do something that dealt with families and relationships,” Irving said. “In this trying time in our country, I also wanted to focus on something that was based on American family values.”
So Irving decided to introduce the youngsters to “Little Women,” the classic novel written by Louisa May Alcott, dealing with the relationships of three sisters.
“I wrote an adaptation of the novel that would suit our own drama club,” Irving said. “I was hoping that the story of ‘Little Women,’ with all their struggles, hopefulness, love for one another, tragedies and happy times would reflect positively on all the families who lost loved ones on Sept. 11.”
The original was adapted and modified to fit the needs of the students.
“I tried to make it as authentic as possible,” Irving said. “I went to garage sales to look for props from the era. I found a music book from 1928 and we incorporated that music into the production.”
Irving couldn’t say enough about the students who performed the play.
“They memorized their lines in such a short time,” Irving said. “I know the other teachers were amazed by that. Performing gives the students some self esteem, helps boost their confidence. It’s a wonderful thing that gives them a different avenue to develop their skills.”
Shaney Mercado had the main role of “Jo” in the production.
“I was really excited, because I never did anything like this before,” said Mercado, a sixth grader. “I don’t think I was nervous at all. I was able to let out any fears I had on stage.”
Mercado said that she had read “Little Women” before and was happy to get a chance to perform in the production.
“I knew the story,” Mercado said. “I have an older sister, so it was really different for me to be the older one. This really encouraged me to want to become an actress. I really liked it a lot.”
Allyson Fielder, a fellow sixth grader, played the role of “Amy” in the show.
“It was really interesting to do,” Fielder said. “Although I love to act, it’s something I’ve never done, so it was a little weird for me at first. I just never had a chance to act before. But I wasn’t nervous. It was definitely a different experience for me.”
Fielder said that acting in “Little Women” was different, because she has only brothers at home.
“I just hope this means that I can get more chances to act, because I want to be an actress when I grow up,” Fielder said. “It makes me feel happy when I get a chance to act.”
Irving said that the entire school supported the Drama Club, even if it was an extracurricular activity.
“It was an entire school effort,” Irving said. “So many teachers got involved. They helped out with the scenery, the lighting, everything. I’m really happy that we’re able to do this for the children.”