MMS 7th graders present ‘Supercon’
STEVE HARTMAN/DAILY FORUM
Instructor Ashley Anderson (far left) introduces cast members following a presentation of the MMS 7th grade play “Supercon”. The play, developed, written and acted by Anderson’s Language Arts elective class, was presented at 9 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 5. A final performance will occur at 2:15 p.m. on Friday, March 6.
Maryville Middle School 7th graders, under the direction of 7th grade Language Arts instructor Ashley Anderson, presented the play “Supercon” Thursday.
A third performance will be presented Friday afternoon at 2:15 p.m. at MMS. All actors and crew for the play come from Anderson’s 7th grade Language Arts elective class, which has evolved over Anderson’s seven years at MMS into a class that exposes students to drama and play presentation.
“When we started seven years ago, we used a play that had been put on for years here at MMS,” Anderson said. “Over the time I’ve been here, the play has evolved into a completely student-driven project.”
Anderson said the class as a whole comes up with the overall idea and storyline for the play. From this overall idea, Anderson asks each student to develop his/her character, including personality traits. At that point, Anderson and students develop a script, incorporating the ideas and characters that the students have come up with, and rehearsal begins.
“The students buy in to the play so much better because they develop, write and produce something original,” Anderson said. “They really seem to enjoy the process and have a lot of fun presenting the play each year.”
Cast member Savannah Erickson, who plays Valley Girl Vicky in the play, says character development is fun.
“It’s fun to develop your character’s personality and see how it fits in to the play,” Erickson said. “Putting on the play is fun.”
Madilyn Pritzel, who plays Ms. McGee in “Supercon”, says her exposure to drama through the class could serve as motivation for her to participate in future drama projects in high school.
“It’s been fun to put on the play,” Pritzel said. “Getting to act in the play now encourages me to participate in plays and drama in high school.”
The class as a whole came up with the idea for “Supercon”, which is a huge super hero convention held annually to crown the newest super heroes into the organization. Conflict comes about when it is discovered there are two groups competing for the honor of being selected as the super heroes, and the two groups, the Valley Girls (played by Erickson, LeNexa Bennett, Emma Adwell and Rachel Weiss) and the Good Girls (played by Kennedy Walker, Evelyn Estrada, Hadley Mundorf and Cloie Murrell), do not get along. Add to that the problem that Professor Morton, played by Logan Jackson, has a supposed shortage of superhero liquid, and “Supercon” comes across as an enjoyable comedy complete with a surprise ending that will bring a smile to those who see the play.
“The students really take ownership in the project when they come up with the idea,” Anderson said. “And hopefully, several of them will participate in drama during their upcoming school years because of the fun they had with this experience.”
STEVE HARTMAN/DAILY FORUM
Professor Morton, played by Logan Jackson, announces a shortage of super hero “serum” used to create new super heroes at the annual Supercon Convention. MMS 7th graders, under the direction of Ashley Anderson, developed, wrote and presented the play “Supercon” Thursday. An additional presentation of the play will take place at 2:15 p.m. Friday.
STEVE HARTMAN/DAILY FORUM
Turbo, Nitro and Kalamazoo (Tate Oglesby, Seth Anderson and Walker Ross) take time while attending the Supercon Convention to take a “selfie” to commemorate their attendance during a Thursday presentation of the play “Supercon” at MMS.
