Mark R. Madler
In a booming voice, Stephen James calls out instructions to his cast
and crew of eighth-graders at John Muir Middle School.
"When I cue [the trumpet player], open up the curtain and raise
the lights," James directed from the front of the school's auditorium
during a rehearsal earlier this week.
Most of the cast of "The Spell of Sleeping Beauty" then
disappeared behind the green curtain, leaving just a handful of
students out front, including Becca Mirnoff, 13, and Anush Iritsyan,
14, who is dressed for her role as a cat.
Becca and Anush knelt over a poster board, drawing letters with
markers.
"We're making a sign for a TV show in our play," Becca, said,
marker in hand.
The TV show interlude -- there are two, including a sendup of
"American Idol" -- is one of several inclusions into this familiar
story of the princess who falls asleep and can only be awakened by
the kiss from a prince.
But James, a former English teacher at Muir who is in his first
year of teaching drama, said it was necessary to add characters and
scenes to accommodate the large cast.
"I have 30 very talented actors and it's hard to find plays with
30 characters," James said.
Ashley Karp, 13, and Paula Moren, 14, said the cast was given an
option of two plays and chose "Sleeping Beauty" because the story was
better.
"The Spell of Sleeping Beauty" will be performed at 6:30 tonight
at Muir Middle School, 1111 N.Kenneth Road. Tickets are $5.
