Love of the theater

Lolita Harper

Mari Parks knows how important the arts are in a young person’s

education.

While most teenagers her age are at the mall or the beach, Parks

has taken her time to help up and coming actors by directing seventh

and eighth grade pupils in their school’s annual performance, “Alice

in Wonderland.”

Her goal: to make this a memorable and enjoyable part of their

lives.

The Mad Hatter, the Cheshire cat and Alice make their debut at

Corona del Mar High School, under the direction of the senior drama

student. The 17-year-old, who has been involved in theater at the

school for six years, has taken on the task of sharing her love for

the theater with her lower classman.

The theater mentor program has a four-year history at the high

school. Older students are required to work with the younger students

to cultivate their experience in visual arts, while honing their own

skills.

Stephanie Hutchison, who agreed to help Parks choreograph the

production, said working with younger students is “refreshing.”

“They bring a sort of innocence and goodness to theater,” the

16-year-old said. “They don’t have a lot of the drama that comes

along with kids my age.”

Along with the innocence, comes the inherent challenges of working

with 28 children. Parks and Hutchison must work to get the group to

listen and cooperate but they are “a great bunch of kids.”

Hutchinson, whose specialty is hip-hop choreography, said her role

in the play has allowed her to revisit her early training in the

classic dances.

“Hip hop is derived from ballet and jazz -- we do a lot of jazz in

this play,” she said. “This has really allowed me to go back to my

roots.”

When Hutchison heard the beats for musical numbers -- “Painting

the Roses Red” and the tea party scene -- dance moves popped into her

head. She streamed together her instinctual choreography, with other

more thought out moves, to create a synergetic number.

Rehearsals run three hours, during which Parks leads the cast and

crew through their specific roles. Props, costumes, blocking, singing

and dancing must all come together in one masterpiece, with Parks

calling the shots.

“She is a star,” Hutchinson said.

Parks plans to continue her artistic zeal at Pepperdine University

in the fall and will be majoring in theater directing.

* LOLITA HARPER writes columns Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and

covers culture and the arts. She may be reached at (949) 574-4275 or

by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.