By Suzanne Hodgson

Staff Writer

Things that crawl, things that jump and things that fly sang and danced on Consolidated School’s stage last week.

The elementary school in Kennebunkport hosted the play “Rocky of the Rainforest” and more than half the school’s students participated in the production.

“First year I directed we had 36 kids – each year it’s grown to the 112 (students) now,” said Jeni Kingston, who has helped direct the school’s plays for four years. Consolidated enrolled 198 students this year.

Kingston said the three performances played to a packed house every night.

“Rocky of the Rainforest” is the story of a producer looking in the middle of the jungle for a Tarzan character, Rocky, who will star in her new movie. The production has 112 students dressed up as animals including six frogs, five butterflies, four turtles and one very hairy gorilla named Ingagi.

“It’s very itchy inside,” said Olivia Kudas, who plays the gorilla.

Before dress rehearsal Thursday night, the gorilla costume had to be brushed by Eliza Johnson, who plays the movie producer’s assistant in the play.

Since Chistmas, when students first received the CD with songs to practice, more than half the school has been eating, breathing and most importantly, singing, all things Rocky.

Rocky, played by fifth-grader Kyle Ryan, swings onto the stage by rope, befriends the ape and wears a muscle suit and leopard print costume.

The costume and theatrics weren’t hard for Ryan, but the famous Tarzan jungle cry took some research.

“I practiced a lot,” Ryan said. “I even looked up the Tarzan yell (online).”

In recent weeks, the students practiced nearly every night.

 Miles Eaton spent the better part of his early practices wrestling with stuffed lions and tigers. Eaton said before he got to practice with the real stuffed animals he practiced rolling around on the ground fighting off air.

“I get emotional, fake crying and rolling around so fast. I try to do my best not to hit the microphone,” Eaton said.

For many of the fifth-graders, “Rocky” is more than just their third or fourth production at the school. This marks the last time many of them will be a part of a school production.

“We can’t do it in middle school or high school, they don’t have them (plays) anymore,” Eaton said.

While the fifth-grader’s statement is no longer true –RSU 21 added both part-time drama teachers at both the middle school and high school back into a proposed budget on Monday – support from the students was instrumental in reinstating drama.

During the March 1 RSU 21 budget meeting, a handful of high school students from freshmen to seniors stood before the board to speak in support of high school drama teacher Mimi Meserve’s position and her drama program.

“I didn’t do anything to deserve that kind of support,” said Meserve, a third-year teacher at the school.

During recent budget talks at RSU 21, the district originally considered a budget that would cut a handful of programs throughout the school.

After the March 1 meeting, past, present and future drama students got a small victory: they were able to register for next year’s classes.

Letters supporting the drama program have come from many school alumni. Drama students at the high school started two Facebook groups and 1,000 members joined to support drama department to the  RSU 21 administration.

The high school students suggested the board allow them and others to register for drama classes, even if the classes weren’t guaranteed for next year.

Students hoped this would show the district the level of interest in the program from students currently in eighth through 11th grade.

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.