Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, November 6, 1995 TAG: 9511060099
SECTION: NEWSFUN PAGE: NF-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: NANCY GLEINER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Kathryn and 10 other children from the Roanoke area (and a few adults) will perform ``The Christmas Cup'' on Mill Mountain Theatre's smaller stage, Theatre B, starting Tuesday. It's the story of Ann Megan McCallie, a bright, mischievous girl who learns some very important lessons that start with an old dented cup, her grandmother and Christmas.
Being in a play means a lot more than just memorizing lines and standing in a certain place on a stage. That's just the beginning. After Kathryn and the other children studied their lines at home, rehearsals began in the theater.
``Don't forget to turn your head ... ,'' ``Stop right there ... ,'' ``You're feeling like ... ,'' and, of course, ``Let's take that one more time, please.'' Those are the words director Jere Lee Hodgin has said over and over, working to make the play run smoothly and tell the story in a believable and entertaining way. He may make a change one minute, then change it again the next. And he listens to the ideas the children give him, too.
Kathryn, 12, has the lead role of Little M, as Ann Megan is called, and Jill Raney, 11, is her understudy. As an understudy, Jill learns the part of Ann Megan exactly as Kathryn does, but doesn't have the fun of performing it as often. An understudy is a kind of substitute actor, who's ready to take over if anything happens to the main one. Jill is scheduled to act in at least two performances, though.
And, she admits, there's a little jealousy.
``Before I started rehearsing here, I sort of wanted you to get sick,'' Jill told Kathryn, ``but I don't anymore.''
Understudy is kind of a strange term. You don't really under study. ``You work almost as hard but don't do as much,'' said Aaron Wallace, 12, understudy to John Mastin Jr., 13, who plays Charlie. ``John has to do everything more times.''
When Aaron and the other understudies are not on stage, they must watch and learn everything the actors and Hodgin are doing - movements, expressions, timing. Then they must remember it to try again the next day, just as the main actors do.
``When Matthew [Russo] is in a scene, I watch and make notes in my brain what to do,'' said Adam Reinhardt, 10, Matthew's understudy for a character named Willis. ``Otherwise, I work on my homework.''
Having almost two full-time jobs - being in a play and going to school - doesn't leave time for much else. ``It's hard to keep up with my school work and the play. It's hard to give up all your time,'' Matthew said.
Putting together a performance is like making a puzzle out of clay. Each piece can be shaped and reshaped, but, when the curtain goes up, they all must fit together perfectly. The acting is only one part of the puzzle. Hodgin also has to figure out how the lighting, movement on stage, costumes, props and even the audience's view will work best together.
Kathryn and Matthew rehearsed a scene in which they were called to the principal's office - a principal `` ... so strict even chalk wouldn't squeak in her presence'' - for throwing stones at a buggy.
If you've ever had to see the principal for something bad, you know how it feels. Kathryn and Matthew had to remind the audience of that feeling. ``Let a little bit of time go by before you go in the door,'' Hodgin suggested, ``so we can feel the awkwardness. Keep your head down and don't look her in the eye until you have to.
``Walk slowly out the door, but once you get there, speed up. You want to be outta there,'' he coached.
After several tries and more ideas tossed around, the scene worked. Those watching could sense the dread the actors were feeling.
``It's hard to learn to be someone else,'' Matthew said. ``I don't act the same way Willis does when I get into trouble.''
``It's fun to learn what other people are supposed to feel like,'' said Jill.
``The Christmas Cup'' started out as a book, written by Nancy Ruth Patterson, who lives in Roanoke. Patterson is director of and teaches writing at CITY school, for gifted high school seniors. This was her first book. She also wrote ``The Shiniest Rock of All'' and is working on three others.
Hodgin was looking for a play that would appeal to young and not-so-young audiences - and one that people could learn something from. ``The Christmas Cup'' seemed just right.
Hodgin wrote the play, based on the book. ``He followed the book really closely,'' Patterson said, ``but sometimes the order of things is different.
``You wonder how all the pieces will come together,'' she continued, ``but they do.''
John Mastin says he hopes people will leave the theater realizing it's important to be your own kind of person and not to worry about what other people think. Aaron says he thinks the book and play try to let others know ``it doesn't hurt to give; it doesn't hurt to be nice to someone.
``Maybe an actor can change someone's attitude, maybe he can affect someone's day or maybe their life.''
``When we do theater, we want to change people's lives,'' Hodgin said. ``Nancy [Patterson] and I can help, but I told them [the children] it's their responsibility to make a change happen.''
Tuesday night, the scripts will be put away, the props will be in place, the lights will brighten and dim on cue. Jere Lee Hodgin will be nowhere in sight.
And Nancy Patterson and the rest of the audience will watch the pages of her book come to life.
``The Christmas Cup'' opens Tuesday and runs through Nov. 26. Tickets are available through the Mill Mountain Theatre's box office (342-5740).
by CNB