By Renee Worthing 

Staff Writer 

Something funny is happening at the First Parish Universalist Church in Kennebunk.

Students at the School Around Us will perform a comedic version of “Jack and the Giant Beanstalk” written by playwright Linda Daugherty. In preparation, students spent several hours last week rehearsing. 

During rehearsal, School Around Us Teacher Amy Wentworth reminded the young actors and actresses to remain quiet behind the scenes.

The students, in grades kindergarten through eighth, will not only act, but also operate the lights and serve as the stage crew, swapping props between acts.

Wentworth told the actors and actresses that the stage crew was learning where to place the props so they would be readily available when it was time to change scenes.

Lucas Odrzywolksi, 6, said when he is not on stage as a sailor, he helps the stage crew. He climbed a ladder shielded from the audience’s view behind the stage curtain and began to pull a length of fishing line. As he pulled the line, a beanstalk seemed to sprout from the stage floor.

“OK, that was good,” Wentworth said. “Let’s do it again, but I want you to pull it up more.”

Lucas released the line and the stuffed beanstalk collapsed to the stage floor.

With a student body of 24 pupils, many of the students will portray more than one character during the May 2 and May 4 performances.

Nate Bennett, 13, sat still while Wentworth positioned a cow mask fashioned from a white sheet, over his head. Not only will Bennett play a cow in the production, he was also assigned the role of Lady Plum, one of the cast members who “provide comic relief” in Jack’s village.

Nate’s sister, 9-year-old Emma, will play the part of Adelaide. Being in school plays is nothing new to Emma as she has been in five previous plays performed by the School Around Us.

Teacher Margaret Munro said students began rehearsing the play after February break, but this was their first real dress rehearsal. Sporting ill-fitting clothing and hats too big, the actors waited until the stage hands mastered the art of making a beanstalk “grow” and the hand and foot of the giant appear from “stage right.”

Jacob Cyr, 10, acting as the peddler who sold Jack the magic beans, is also an understudy for the student portraying Jack’s father.

“This is the first time I’ve had a real talking part in a play,” he said.

He said the hardest part of being in a play was memorizing his lines, adding he practiced his lines by saying them repeatedly.

Liam Kuscma, 6, said he was playing a “youngster” and a sword fighter.

“I’m a little bit excited to be in the play, but I’m not nervous,” he said.

Nick Claysson, 9, will portray Jack’s best friend in the play. He said one scene in particular was challenging for him.

  “There are 25 lines where everyone is talking at once and it gets mixed up,” he said.

 Nick Claysson said while he is enjoying being in the play, it hasn’t sparked a desire to be an actor when he grows up. Instead, he said, he might want to be a dog breeder or a fisherman. 

  Show times are slated for 6:30 p.m. Friday May 2 and 2 p.m. Sunday May 4. Admission to the play is a suggested donation of $5. Proceeds from the production will benefit the school.