Creston Middle School to present puppet musical ‘Character Street’

Creston Middle School students will perform a puppet musical by composer Andy Beck 5:30 p.m. Monday at the CMS gym. The public is invited to attend. There is no admission charge. The show is particularly well suited to preschool and lower elementary grade students, but all ages are welcome.

Characters in the musical are faced with choices and challenges that test their self discipline, courage, responsibility and integrity. The main cast includes four puppet characters and two human characters, as well as a fuzzy monster and a dog who are in full body costumes. Puppet actors include: Brielle Baker, Riley Beard, Jae Fehrle and Abbi Hood. Stan the delivery man is played by Lee Normandeau. Gammy Goodman is played by Sasha Smith. Brittany Linch plays Scruff the dog, and the part of Fuzzy Monster is played by Marika Chubick.

The supporting cast includes eight cats and numerous small background puppets. With the help of Creston Schools’ technology coordinator Jeff Norman and art teacher Shari Walters, students have collaborated to design and paint sets and run tech including the sound board and music.

Four Creston High School students have assisted with the production and include choreographers Maya Struhar and Ann Fehrle, acting coach John Reasoner and makeup artist David Qualseth.

Middle school vocal students have worked together to make costumes and manage props and sets, as well as doing some peer directing and creative decision making with their director Jane Warner. The show is approximately 30 minutes long and children in attendance will have an opportunity to meet the cast in costume after the performance.

“Character Street” will be performed three times during the school day on Monday and Tuesday for all Creston Elementary students and kindergarteners, but those students are welcome to come to the evening show also.