THE DRAMA department of River Hill High School will present its fall musical production, "Once On This Island," at 7: 30 p.m. today,tomorrow and Saturday.
The play, the culmination of two months of intense effort, went into production in early September.
Impressed by the number of talented students who auditioned for the production, drama teacher and director Pam Land anticipates spectacular performances.
"Once On This Island" is based on Rosa Guy's novel "My Love, My Love."
The book, in turn, was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid."
Set on an unnamed island in the French Antilles during a violent storm, the play weaves together themes of love, loss and redemption.
The musical was written by composer Stephen Flaherty and lyricist Lynn Ahrens, the team responsible for the Broadway musical "Ragtime."
Featured in the production are seniors Larisa Stahl as Ti Moune, Graham Summers as Agwe, Todd Fussell as Tonton Julian and Dylan Breton as Daniel.
Also featured are juniors Sara Albino as Mama Euralie, Molly Martin as Erzulie, Kelly Thompson as Andrea, Ben Shirley-Quirk as Papa Ge and George Van Osterom as Armand.
Freshman Ryan Krasney plays Asaka, and Claire Wilson, from Centennial Lane Elementary School, plays Little Ti Moune.
Sophomores Kate Anderson and Hannah Sanderson are student directors.
Senior Emily Ashcraft and sophomore Sasha Heifetz are stage managers.
Senior Eric Moore and junior Devon Vanecek are crew chiefs, and sophomores Alison Silber and Missy Ring are the "running crew" -- stage crew members who move props and sets.
A choral and dance ensemble of 22 students helps tell the story.
Doug Lawler, musical director at Toby's Dinner Theatre, Columbia, advised and helped with the show.
River Hill dance teacher Jill Blizzard is choreographer.
Math teacher Rhonda Rust is the costumer.
English teacher Joey Starnes is prop mistress.
Technical education teacher John Henderson has supervised set design and construction, and art teachers Mark Coates and Barry Hoskins are artistic directors.
Tickets are $7 and may be purchased at the door.
River Hill High School is at 12101 Route 108 in Clarksville. Information: 410-313-7120.
Outstanding jazz
Mark your calendar for 7: 30 p.m. Nov. 19 and plan to attend the River Hill High School Jazz Band's performance of perennial favorites.
Earlier this year, the school's jazz ensembles (which are part of the jazz band) won grand champion and first-place awards at Music Festivals of Orlando, Fla., and the jazz band's saxophonists received eight ratings of outstanding.
Admission to the concert, which will be in the school auditorium, is free. Information: Kathy Bonebreak, 410-531-5430.
Improving the countryside
Tomorrow, about 220 seventh-graders from Glenwood Middle School will receive hands-on experience in improving their community.
They will dig trenches, refurbish stone walls and restore parts of the Davis Branch stream on the grounds of the Mount Pleasant Conservancy, a nature preserve and environmental center on Old Frederick Road in Woodstock.
Students will weed, rake leaves, mulch trails, wash windows, prepare fund-raising letters and make craft items out of recycled materials to be sold to benefit the conservancy.
The young people will earn community service credits.
Carol Nieberline, English teacher and seventh-grade team leader, said, "We are delighted that the students are giving their time."
Also tomorrow, the Glenwood eighth-grade class will travel to Centennial Park to participate in a day of volunteer cleanup.
Eagle Scout
Jimmy Corrigan, 14, was honored Oct. 30 with the Eagle Scout award by Boy Scout Troop 72 at Shepherd of the Glen Lutheran Church, Glenwood.
Jimmy, a freshman at River Hill High School, is the son of Thomas Michael Corrigon and Alice Corrigan of Dayton.
Jimmy's Eagle Scout project -- an environmental undertaking at the Big Branch section of the Triadelphia Reservoir -- took more than a year to complete.
In the project's first phase, Jimmy cleared trees that blocked the view of the water for visitors to the boat ramp.
Then he cleared small scrub trees and shrubs from a 150-foot-square piece of land along the reservoir.
In the final -- and most ambitious -- phase of the project, he fixed up a half-mile nature and fishing trail beside the water.
This required widening the path and cutting branches from trees. In fact, one section of the trail was so eroded that Jimmy had to build a new trail, removing rocks and stumps that might be hazardous for walkers and constructing stairs on a steep stretch.
Jimmy built a 12-foot foot bridge across a creek.
In addition to his Scouting activities, Jimmy is a member of the youth group at Shepherd of the Glen and plays basketball in a western Howard County recreation league.
Swinging young man
Marcellus van der Valk, son of Sue and Ubbo van der Valk of Highland, is appearing as a swing dancer in Salisbury State University's eighth Dance Showcase.
Marcellus is a senior, majoring in management information systems.
Performances are at 8 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday in the university's Holloway Hall Auditorium.
Information: 410-543-6353.
Book collection
Fourth-graders Elizabeth Ferris, Melanie Midkiff, Lacey Orndorff, Samantha Snoots and Afton Vechery -- all pupils in the Gifted and Talented Program at Lisbon Elementary School -- are collecting books.
The books will be donated to the media center at Highlandtown Elementary School in Baltimore.
The Highlandtown Elementary media center consists of one rolling cart of books, according to the Lisbon Elementary School newsletter, "The Lisbon Lines."
The book drive, which began this week, will continue through Dec. 4.
Books can be brought to Lisbon Elementary School, 15901 Frederick Road.
Bazaars begin
Begin your holiday shopping this weekend at two Christmas bazaars.
Shepherd of the Glen Lutheran Church, 14551 Burntwoods Road, Glenwood, is holding its sixth Star Over the Stable Christmas bazaar from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Items for sale will include wreaths, wall hangings, tree ornaments, holiday greenery for table arrangements and hand-painted T-shirts.
Patty Post will display her handmade wire baskets, and Susan Crystal will sell books for children and adults.
The church cookbook will be sold for $5. Finger foods, made from cookbook recipes, will be available.
A baked-goods table will be stocked with an assortment of pies, cakes, cookies and muffins for sale.
Many of the recipes for the bake sale items are included in the cookbook.
Children will love the Children's Make It and Take It Room, designed to keep them entertained while adults shop.
For $1, children ages 3 and older can make small crafts under the guidance of a youth group member.
Information: 410-442-1204.
Also Saturday, St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church of Poplar Springs will hold its Christmas bazaar from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Crafts, baked goods, "trash and treasure" items, door prizes, food and an opportunity for a photo with Santa will be available.
Admission is free.
Information: Bobbie Olivarri, 301-854-6036, or Cindy Overstreet, 301-831-0721.
The church is at 1200 St. Michaels Road, south of Route 144.
'Everybody Reads Night!'
Kathy Rogers, PTA president at Triadelphia Ridge Elementary School, invites community members and school families to mark their calendars for "Everybody Reads Night!" from 7 p.m. to8: 30 p.m. tomorrow. It is to be a family night of reading and fun. Children may come dressed in their pajamas and listen to stories while parents browse the book fair.
Pub Date: 11/12/98