High School Play

The High School play this year is Sarah, Plain and Tall.

“Set in the early 1900s, this play brings to life the charming, heartwarming story of a Kansas farmer, Jacob Witting, a widower with two children, Anna and Caleb, who places an ad in the newspapers seeking a wife. He receives a letter from a Sarah Wheaton of Maine who says she will visit the family for a month to see how things work out: "I will come by train. I will wear a yellow bonnet. I am plain and tall." Narrated by Anna reminiscing on the eve of her wedding, the story unfolds in a fascinating flashback on that often exciting, sometimes tumultuous month when Sarah and the Wittings came to know one another and learned a few things about themselves as well. The joys and challenges of everyday life are richly depicted in this classic which the New York Times called "an exquisite, sometimes painfully touching tale."

There are four children in the play, the two mentioned above and then two neighbor girls. The High School sought out Junior High School students to audition for the children’s roles. Madison went to the auditions. She was very excited because she was one of the ones they kept calling back up to the stage, or having them stay on the stage for more readings. Then the teachers were scrutinizing how well the children looked and acted with each other. This was on a Friday, and the teachers said they would post the cast list on the High School door on Monday morning. Yes, it was a very stressful weekend. She thought about how well she did, how not so well she did, and everything in between. Come Monday morning, the JHS made an announcement that three people from the JHS made the HS play, and Madison was one of them. She plays Rose, one of the neighbor’s daughters. The part is one of the seven main characters. Yay! – She is ecstatic and so are we.

For the past couple weeks and up to the date of the play, she practices every day after school M-F from 2:30-5:30 and will have to put in a couple of all days Saturdays prior to the show. The play will be presented three different days, November 13, 14 & 15. She has been in school plays before but never more than one performance, so she is thrilled about that.

Way to go, Madison!