Romance, Tragedy, and... Hillbillies? Tuesday, March 22, 2011 By Senior Molly Long Jacob Cole works hard practicing his lines for his role as Joe Martin. - Photo by Molly Long Advertising Eighth graders at Cameron Middle School are busy practicing for this year’s Dinner Theater, A Fussin’ an’ a Feudin’. This production is loosely based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but in this adaptation the characters are hillbillies. The young love birds are forbidden to be together because of a two hundred year old feud between the two families. For many 8th grade actors and actresses this is the first experience they have had on stage. “I’m excited about being in the show. Also, I’m nervous, but I think that when the night of the show gets here, everyone will be so excited and I know that I’ll have rehearsed it enough that I will be comfortable with my part,” said 8th Grade Actress Kayla Carroll-Seufferling. She will portray Emmy-Lou Tolliver, Juliet’s hillbilly counterpart. She has never before performed on stage, but she know she loves to act. “I love acting,” she said. “I love being able to be someone else for a day, or an hour. I love being able to be some one that I’m not.” Eigth Grade Actor Jacob Cole agreed with what Kayla said. He plays Joe Martin, the scheming book publisher from New York. He and Sally Merriweather, another book publisher he met by chance, are secretly trying to uncover the story of the feuding Tollivers and Calhouns. Jacob has never before performed as an actor, but he know that he’s ready for his time in the lime light. “I am excited about performing,” he said. “I like acting and I think it’s really awesome how Mrs. Hutton gives us a chance to do this before we get up into the major leagues, so to speak, of high school. I am kind of nervous about the night we perform, though. But, it’s still a little ways away and I think we’ll be able to pull it all together and it should be fine. Even if there’s a few slip ups, I mean it’s an eighth grade play, and I’m sure we’ll be fine.” This year, Dinner Theater is changing a little bit. Dinner Theater Director Mrs. Val Hutton said, “Dinner theatre has changed this year as we are not offering a dinner to go with the play.  We will be offering a small snack during intermission, however. This is because long time FACs teacher, Lyndia Williams retired last year.” Mrs. Hutton feels that even though this change has been put into effect, Dinner Theater will still be a great success. “I expect the kids to do their best and have fun.  We are 8th graders, not professionals.  I do expect them to have lines memorized and such, but I do try to remember that for most, this is the first time doing something like this. Everyone seems to be working very well together,” she said. This year’s 8th grade Dinner Theater performance is sure to be a success. Dates of the performances are April 1 and 2 with the show starting at 6:30, and the doors will open at 6. Tickets will be going on sale the week of March 21st, and they can be purchased from Mrs. Rainey at the Cameron Middle School library. Make sure to come out and show your support for these budding actors and actresses in what is for some, their on stage premiere!

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