The next two weekends at the West Windsor Library will focus on Halloween-themed children’s plays written and directed by Michael Kerr, the head of the reference library for more than eight years. An area playwright, he has directed and produced plays at the library since 2005. Performers range in age from 9 to adult and performances will take place Friday, October 19, to Sunday, October 27.
“All of the actors are great, and they all work together to bring the play to life,” says Kerr. “What I like most is helping the young actors find their own take on their roles, and see them give life to the characters they are playing.”
Actors from West Windsor include Isabelle Bannon, Molly Blake, Marisa Carroll, Jason Carroll, Maddy Chartock, Evan Chartock, Ryan DeSalvo, Phoebe Elias, Tara Gideon, Alana Greener, Aleena Haris, Jordan Hoogsteden, Sophia Lennox, Nicholas Lennox, Matthew Rossi, Alex Vena, and Jai Wilkins.
“I think that doing the plays lets them do something different from everyday life,” says Kerr. “They take on the challenge of learning to play characters with different personalities and get experience working in a group.”
“The Magic Circle” is about a girl who pretends she has magic powers to impress friends, but then gets into trouble when she turns her brother into a frog. “The First Day of School” is the story of three kids who meet on their first day of school and slowly realize that the school may be haunted.
In “How to Make a Killer Halloween Display” a family becomes trapped in their own house by a Halloween display gone haywire.
“By the time of the playfest the actors are always really into their roles, and although the space and audience are small, I think learning their parts and playing them in front of an audience prepares them for doing bigger plays in front of bigger audiences down the road,” says Kerr.
Halloween Play Festival, West Windsor Library, 333 North Post Road. Sponsored by the Friends of the West Windsor Library. Doors open 20 minutes before show time. The shows are recommended for ages 9 and above. Admission is free. Free. 609-799-0462. www.mcl.org.
“The First Day of School” and “The Magic Circle” on Friday, October 19, 8 p.m.; and Saturday, October 20, 3 and 8 p.m. “How to Make a Killer Halloween Display” on Friday, October 26, 8 p.m.; Saturday, October 27, 3 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, October 28, 3 p.m.
