Bronxville Middle School students recently demonstrated their acting talents when they performed “Bedtime Stories (As Told By Our Dad) (Who Messed Them Up)” as their spring play. Under the guidance of director Juliana Moreira, an elementary school special education teacher, the production featured 19 students in the cast and 14 students in the crew.
“‘Bedtime Stories’ is a comical retelling of three classic fairytales,” Moreira said. “When a father tries to make up bedtime stories for his children, we watch the stories unfold on stage with comical plot point errors, modern references and new hilarious twists. ‘The Princess and the Pea’ becomes princess and the can of peas, ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’ is told as the girl who cried dinosaur, and Rumpelstiltskin is given the power to turn gold into straw.”
Moreira said she chose the show because it was funny and witty, and it incorporated an expansive ensemble, which provided more students with an opportunity to shine on stage. She applauded their ability to take new instructions, adapt to changes in set or blocking, and absorb a wealth of knowledge in a shortened time frame.
“What stood out most to me about my experience working with the students on this production was their work ethic, willingness to experiment and positive attitude,” she said. “They came to rehearsal every day ready to work and their efforts paid off in a fantastic show. They were so much fun to work with and their persistent positivity and flexibility made the show what it was. It was a pleasure to watch them bring the play to life.”
In addition to Moreira, the production was made possible thanks to Brian Parker, Emma Sheehan and Anthony Vaglica.