Thurston talent clear in spring showcase

Call it an off-off-Broadway revival.

The Junior Park Avenue Players at Thurston Middle School have opted to present a play from 1988 by teacher Mark Dressler at their annual spring showcase, which runs through Saturday in the school’s Black Box Theatre.

Performances will be divided between Dressler’s two eighth grade drama classes: Period 1 will perform tonight at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m. Period 3 will perform tonight at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Dressler’s play, “True Colors,” will join three student-written works and a selection of Broadway songs from shows like “RENT,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” and “Into the Woods” in the showcase.

“True Colors” delves into a number of youth issues, including cheating in school, being compared to other siblings, peer pressure and yelling parents.

“It’s a pretty good little play,” Dressler said modestly.

Period 3 eighth-grader Emily Berrryman, 14, stars as Sarah, whose father calls her “lazy” when she admits that math is difficult for her.

Her fears of letting him down lead her into a precarious series of choices.

Rather than letting the role become too melodramatic, Berryman handles it with aplomb, and comes off as natural as can be.

“The talent in that grade is incredible,” Dressler said of the eighth graders. He said he has already discovered several future stars who will join the drama ranks at Laguna Beach High School this fall.

The students had the opportunity to rehearse the production earlier this week at Top of the World and El Morro Elementary Schools, where older elementary students were able to view highlights from the play.

When a particular issue came up in the piece, Dressler would “freeze” his actors, and then discuss the issue with the kids, who eagerly raised their hands to offer suggestions and answer questions.

He also hinted to the kids that when they arrived at Thurston, they too would have the opportunity to become Junior Park Avenue Players.

Tickets will be available at the box office one hour before each performance and during Thurston’s lunch period from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. today.

Period 1 features students Devin Altieri, Brad Barnes, Louis Brown, Lauren Capobianco, Daniella Crivello, Spencer Dodson, Luke Dressler, Danielle Ducharme, Aislin Elkin, Chantel Ebrahimi, Katy Fleming, Brooks Freeman, Jordan Glenn, Nusheen Goshtasbi, Samantha Jungheim, Tylan Kang, Drew Kanner, Devin Kent, Jordan Krafka, Lucy Kramer, Alec Loechner, Brigitte Naughton, Crystal Pittman, Camille Ring, Kate Stewart, Emily Rubino, Marie Schott, Daniel Stevens, Jenna St. George, Aaron Swartz and Emily VanHanswyk.

Period 3 includes students Emily Berryman, Lia Berger, Hannah Bunting, Taylor Capobianco, Woody Carey, Jack Clark, Alexa Curtin, Riley Duncan, Katherine Epstein, Wyatt Fair, Samantha Garner, Tad Heitmann, Kiki Henderson, Sam Hilburn, Brad Itnyre, Sydney Jones, Alex Kempler, Hali MacDonald, Lena Martinson, Ashlyn McCleve, Zach Neev, Spencer Nye, Annabel Pascall, Sawyer Pierce, Caroline Rechter, Beverly Ronses, Carly Savage, Jessica Shusko, Dylan Somerset, Samantha Thomas, Kaitlyn Waidley and Tim Young.