JSU Children's Acting Company on Tour
to Promote Summer Reading Programs

The following Article from The Wetumpka Herald is reprinted here in its entirety.

Acting Company Uses Song to Promote Literacy

By Catherine Bailey
The Wetumpka Herald
Published June 25, 2008
 

Members of the Jacksonville State University drama department presented Little Red Reading Hood Friday at the Wetumpka Depot Theater. The troupe played to a packed house. Herald Photo/Austin Nelson

With the video game craze becoming more popular every day, it’s hard to get children excited about reading. But thanks to Jacksonville State University’s theatre department, Wetumpka’s youth might forego the TV and opt to spend some time this summer reading a book instead.

As part of the summer reading program, the Wetumpka Depot brought in JSU’s children’s acting company to put on the production Little Red Reading Hood in order to encourage kids to be more enthusiastic about books.

The play was performed to a packed house and couldn’t have been more of a hit with the parents and children who attended.

“I thought it was very funny and creative,” said Emily Pinkston, 8. Her older sister, Audrey, was impressed as well.

“I really liked the message, and I thought the actors did a good job.,” she said.

The play was a comical rendition of Little Red Riding Hood, complete with characters Wolfie Wolf, Harry Hyena, Little Red Riding Hood, Grandma, the Piano Guy and a Reading Bug that chased Little Red all through the woods.

The kids got really involved with the characters, shouting out and helping Little Red on her journey.

“I liked the wolf,” Connor Bailey, 5, said. “He had a silly voice.”

The theme “Read More Books” was cleverly woven into the set, appearing in the trunk of a tree in the woods and a shelf on the bookshelf in Grandma’s house. Little Red even carried a bag full of books, including Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss and other children’s books.

The parents in the audience were very impressed by the performance.

“I thought it was a great way to get kids excited about reading instead of watching TV,” said Jeni Ennis, a mother in attendance.

Not only did the actors put on a great show, but after the performance, they lent their expertise by instructing kids at an acting camp that was being held at the Wetumpka Depot Theater.

See story at The Wetumpka Herald's Website: thewetumpkaherald.com .

---

Submit items for news releases by using the request form at www.jsu.edu/newswire/request