The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
A colorful performance
Larkmoor Elementary students present play
Students of Larkmoor Elementary School got a taste of the limelight June 4 as they presented a play to their schoolmates and parents.
The third-, fourth- and fifthgrade members of the school’s Drama Club presented a short stage production based on the book “The Day the Crayons Quit.”
As part of the show, most of the 15 students were dressed in guise of various Crayola crayons while some were dressed as normal students.
As the play continued on, the crayons read off their various
grievances with the student’s use of their multicolored talents.
The red and gray crayons complained of overuse; the white crayon argued the paper she was being used on was the same hue as herself; the yellow and orange crayons were locked in an interpersonal struggle over which properly presented the luxurious rays of the sun; and the peach crayon wondered aloud about why her paper wrapping had been ripped off leaving her too embarrassed to leave the pack.
In the end, the student vowed to be more conscientious about the colors she used.
The club is led by gifted teacher Esther Stoutenburgh, who said this was the first production the club presented.
“This is a wonderful group,” Stoutenburgh said. “(This performance) shows that they’ve memorized parts and they’re comfortable speaking in front of their peers.”
She said the play also was produced to act as an end of the school year celebration of all the work the club has put in over the months.
“I think it went well,” Stoutenburgh said after the play. “
A couple of our kids got stage fright, but they picked it up quite quickly.”
Phoenix Larnau, 8, of Lorain, a third-grader at the school, played the blue crayon who complained the overuse had left her short and stubby.
Stoutenburgh said Phoenix only received the part an hour before the production because another student was unable to perform.
“I was actually surprised, but I actually did it because I didn’t want the show to get messed up,” Phoenix said after the show.
She said she enjoyed participating in the play and her favorite part was the argument between yellow and orange.
Xireya Spears, 10, of Lorain, a fourth-grader at the school, was one of the two actors tasked with playing the student.
Xireya said she does not intend to pursue acting as she grows up because her true passion is in drawing.
“Drama sort of comes in second place,” she said.
Xireya said her favorite part of the play actually was the whole thing.