Students provide laughs in comedic mystery
Published 2:43 pm Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Clockwise, director/actor Chris Pryor (The Big Bad Wolf), Laun Pryor (Baby Bear), Naomi Pryor (Granny) and Laun Pryor (Friday night’s Gingerbread Man) are in high spirits after the final performance of “Rumpelstiltskin Private Eye” Saturday night at the Greenville High School Auditorium. (Advocate Staff/Angie Long)
Fairy tale characters became embroiled in a mystery while a fowl sidekick solved the crime in Todd Wallinger’s comedic romp “Rumpelstiltskin: Private Eye” last Friday and Saturday nights at the Greenville High School Auditorium.
Rockerious Thigpen played Rumpelstiltskin, sporting his best Sherlock Holmesian cape and deer stalker hat and assisted by the chatty Ugly Duckling (Ally Johnson). The duo encountered everyone from the Three Bears and the Three Little Pigs to Cinderella and her stepsisters as they tried to determine just who was the culprit at large.
Director Chris Pryor guided almost 20 GMS students through the hour-long play at the GHS Auditorium. Pryor also played the Big Bad Wolf and even filled in Friday night for an ailing cast member, Alex Atchison, to play Prince Pronto.
The play was something of a family affair for the Pryors. Oldest son Laun portrayed the oversized Baby Bear, while youngest son and stage hand Jacob played the Gingerbread Man on Friday night in place of Atchison. Naomi Pryor, GHS English and drama teacher, served as both stage hand and Little Red Riding Hood’s “Grappling Granny.”
Plenty of giggles, guffaws and chuckles came from an appreciative audience, who gave the cast members a standing ovation Friday night.
“These kids are adorable,” said Naomi Pryor. “They have done such a good job.”
Ivy Brooks,who portrayed Cinderella in the GMS production, said she took on the role just three weeks before the performances. “Someone else dropped out and I got the part. I was nervous I’d forget something. But it went OK!”
Other cast members included DaiShauna Benson as Mama Bear/Fairy Godmother/Hungry; Esron Satterwhite as Papa Bear/Fairy Godfather/Bossy; Ni’Maree Stone as Goldilocks/Minerva/Perky; ShaiMeriah McCall as Worried Pig/Gloomy; Christian Claybourne as Smart Pig/Clumsy; Ja’Mia Brown as Not-So-Smart Pig/Drowsy; Tamara Edwards as Virginia Woolf/Hortense; Destiny Allen as Little Red Riding Hood/Penelope;
Ardaisia Coleman as Snow White and Grace Gipson as Nerdy. Reagan Smith served as lighting technician for the production.
