Rockin’ the school

Suzie Harrison

Enter the theater at Thurston Middle School and you’ll likely think

you’ve been transported to New York City in the ‘50s, as the

eighth-grade drama department worked on rehearsing the musical “Guys

and Dolls,” which will show today, Saturday and Sunday.

“We’re working on the set, we’re putting this together,” drama

teacher Mark Dressler said. “This is unusual we don’t usually do a

musical -- since we have this new place I thought we would do

something bigger.”

The set showed the Save-A-Soul Mission. At a few minutes past

midnight, all the gamblers enter the Mission to the surprise of Sarah

Brown and the delight of General Abernathy.

The general requests that the gamblers give their testimonies and

Nicely-Nicely Johnson, played by Sheldon Eaton, 13, recounts a dream

he had about being on a boat to heaven.

He performs the number “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat,” as

they rehearse the scene a few times.

It’s the first big play for Sheldon and he said it’s been fun.

“My character Nicely-Nicely is kind of the sidekick [of the main

character] Nathan,” Sheldon said. “He helps him out and sticks by him

for the whole play. He’s kind of like the joker.”

Sheldon belts out his solo with great rapport and interaction with

the other characters.

“I was kind of scared at first,” Sheldon said. “I started

practicing with the class and became less afraid and more normal.”

Brendan McGrady, 13, plays Nathan Detroit.

“He’s been running a floating craps game, but can’t find a spot

because Lt. Brannigan is always giving him pressure,” McGrady said.

Ericka Jones, 13, plays Sarah Brown’s character and her character

is quite the prude.

“She’s like the person trying to get everyone in the mission and

she falls in love with Sky,” Ericka said.

Sky Masterson, who is played by Noah Plomgren, 13, makes a $1,000

bet with Nathan that he can get Sarah Brown to go with him to Havana.

Nathan doubts it but needs the money to get the craps game going.

Kevin Buck, 14, plays Lt. Brannigan, who is a cop that tries to

keep the gamblers on the straight and narrow.

“He’s trying to find all the craps shooters,” Kevin said. “I keep

trying to catch them but I never do.”

Kevin said he liked playing his character because he is nosey and

always trying to get catch the guys. He said he’s having fun playing

the guy who is kind of the “party pooper.”

So what happens? Do Sky and Sarah fall in love and are the guys

all arrested? Find out for yourself, check out “Guys and Dolls” at

Thurston Middle School this weekend at 2100 Park Ave. For

information, call (949) 497-7785.