Finding time to be a kid again can be difficult in a world of finals and midterms. But Stimulus' production of the play Tom Sawyer allows University students to put aside their books and enter the mischievious world of Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer and Joe Harper. The musical, based on the novel Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, will be performed on November 6 and 7 at the Harold Prince Theater in the Annenberg complex. Although it is a children's theater performance, cast member Leslie Grossman said University students will enjoy the show. "It is pure entertainment," Grossman, a College sophomore said. "It is a story a lot of people read and the play version is very fun. It is a great way to relax and feel like a kid again." According to the show's director Jen Marlowe, Stimulus also plans on taking the show to elementary schools around Philadelphia to expose kids to a new way of experiencing literature. "Because it is based on a book, it opens up a whole new literary experience," Marlowe, a College senior, said. "A lot of kids don't ever get an opportunity to see live theater and Stimulus is the only chance they'll get." Unlike other theater groups, according to Marlowe, Stimulus looks for a cast that wants to perform for kids. "One thing we look for in a cast is that they have to be talented actors and singers who love theater," she said. "But more importantly, we look for people who want to perform for kids. When you have this group of people who want to dedicate their time for kids, you have a spectacular cast." The show was performed last Wednesday at Drew Elementary School in West Philadelphia and Marlowe said the students loved the show. "It's lively and funny and it has a lot of energy," she said. "After the show the cast was flocked by 200 eager students wanting autographs." Before the show is performed, Stimulus sends study guides to teachers which helps the kids explore information on the time period, place and book. A few days after the show, cast members go in and talk to the kids, answering questions about the show and about acting, Grossman said. "When we performed the play, we weren't sure if they really understood everything," she said referring to the performance at Drew. "They didn't laugh at everything we thought they would. In their classrooms, though, the questions were very insightful. It showed that they really were paying attention." The whole focus, according to Tom McManus, who plays Tom Saywer, is to bring live theater to kids and open up a whole range of experience and energy. "If one of them plays Tom Sawyer adventure games, it makes it all worthwhile," College junior McManus said. Grossman said she joined Stimulus to bring to kids the magic she experienced as a child from children's theater. "I wanted to do it since I was five," she said. "I want other kids to feel the way I did. I want to get them excited about acting and encourage them to read the book Tom Sawyer." Marlowe said that this year the show was focused on an older age group, namely fourth to sixth graders. "We're reaching out and challenging ourselves," she said. "We're trying new material because when you do something over and over again, it has the potential of becoming stale." Tickets will be on sale on Locust Walk, at the Annenberg box office and at the door. One half of the proceeds from the show will go to an organization helping to fight cancer.
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