North County performs ‘Shoestring Theatre’ this weekend

The North County Drama Club has a new production this weekend with two performances.

The play, “Shoestring Theatre” will premiere Friday evening at 7 p.m. and again on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the North County High School Auditorium. The cost is $5 for adults and $3 for students.

North County High School Drama Club Director Kelly Gentry said the play is about a theatre group who are putting on an elaborate, expensive production of Cinderella.

“That is until the budget gets cut by 80 percent,” said Gentry. “The play director learns that his boss and her assistant have embezzled the money to fund a nice long cruise in the Caribbean. To get even, the play director decides to give them just the kind of low-budget show they want.”

Gentry said that the characters use inexperienced actors, cardboard boxes for sets, and flashlights for special effects and the director puts on an unforgettable, unconventional show.

“This is my first time as a play director and it’s going really well,” said Gentry. “I am lucky to work with some super talented kids that are really experienced. They have helped a lot and it has been great.”

Gentry said she chose this particular play because she wanted a comedy, something fun to do as her first one. She said she got input from the drama club president and past play directors.

“Everyone thought this play would be really funny and really a good time to put on,” said Gentry.

Senior Brian Middleton has the character of Sanders, who is the play director of plays at the theatre he works at.

“He is a very stressed-out individual and he takes bad news very badly,” said Middleton. “The budget for his lifelong dream gets cuts and it completely ruins him. He doesn’t take it very well and he is a very sad character.”

Middleton added that he really likes this year’s play compared to the plays he has been part of in the past. He said that for him it is more enjoyable than others.

“I am having a lot more fun with it even though it is a lot more stressful,” said Middleton. “I feel like I am more connected to my character and that makes it a lot more enjoyable. This is my final year in high school drama club, but I plan on attending the Missouri Institute of Science and Technology to get a degree and I hope to do college plays while I’m there.”

Senior and Drama Club President Anna Breck has the role of Aubry and she is an interesting character herself. Breck said that her character is a young mysterious woman who everyone allegedly thinks is the crazy woman on the loose.

“They all think she is the one who escaped the local hospital,” said Breck. “She is very communicable and you will get to see her bawk on stage because she thinks she is a chicken. When the production hits the stage, she is actually the one who gets to play Cinderella.”

Breck added that she really likes this fall play a lot because she thinks it shows what you can do to make low-budget hilarious.

“Being a crazy person is awesome because it enables you to tap into that side,” said Breck. “Everyone has a crazy side and it’s cool to be able to tap into that side of me. After high school I plan to attend a four-year university out-of-state along the medical track and hope to do some theatre along with it.”

Senior Logan Shropshire has the role of Brutis who is a cultured truck driver and he is normally moving the shows, but he really enjoys watching them.

“He loves Cinderella,” said Shropshire. “I feel like the cast has really come together a lot more with this play compared to other ones. I plan to major in broadcasting telecommunications and getting a minor in theatre. I am already in some of the shows over at Mineral Area College.”

The North County Drama Club will perform “Shoestring Theatre” this weekend. It’s a comedy about a theater group who were putting on an elaborate, expensive production of Cinderella.

The cast of the North County Drama Club will present a comedy play this weekend with crazy to stressed-out characters trying to put on a production of Cinderella.

Renee Bronaugh is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-518-3617 or rbronaugh@dailyjournalonline.com