Boys and Girls club prepared for performing art
The Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland, under the direction of Lee alumna Laura Northcutt, will be performing “Cheaper by the Dozen.”
“I just wanted a show a lot of people would recognize and get excited about,” Northcutt said.
According to Northcutt, the children are the most important part of the play. Seventy children auditioned in September for the play, however the cast, including understudies, is made up of 26 children, ages 7-16.
The crew will consist of teens that come to the club. The play will feature 1920’s style costumes and a simple set to keep the focus on the actors.
The play will take place on Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. at the Tucker Unit of the Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland, 385 3rd St. Southwest. Admission is one dollar or a donation.
Northcutt graduated from Lee in May 2008 with a theater degree, and started working at the Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland in August.
Northcutt hopes that by being in this play the children will develop “responsibility in thinking for themselves”, teamwork and leadership skills. Northcutt tries to accomplish those goals is by letting the children come up with their own ideas for their characters.
Another member of the Lee community working on the project is Sophomore Caitlin Hammon.
Hammon, a music major, is volunteering at the Boys and Girls club as part of an education class. She felt that the play would be a good outlet for the children, especially for those who have a lot of energy.
She also commented that many of these children have probably never had a chance to be in such a play before.
“It’s really important that these kids know there are people out there supporting them,” Hammon said.
Supporting the children involved in “Cheaper by the Dozen” can be done in more ways than one. The first way students can support the children is by going to the play. The second is by volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland to help with the production.
“[We can] always use more help,” Northcutt said.
Northcutt could also use some help locating an old telephone to use as a prop.
