The cast of Little Women, made up of students in PATH — which stands for Performing Arts to Homeschoolers — rehearse a scene from the play at the Oakville Grange on Monday afternoon in Centralia.
Amy, played by Elaina Marugg, left, Meg, played by Sara Gilchrist, center, and Josephine, played by Tricia Cushman, right, rehearse a scene from "Little Women" at the Oakville Grange on Monday afternoon in Centralia. The play — which is put on by students in PATH (Performing Arts to Homeschoolers) runs from Thursday to Saturday at 7 p.m., tickets are $10.
Cast members (from top): Sara Gilchrist, Samantha Gilchrist, Tricia Cushman and Elaina Marugg rehearse a scene from the play "Little Women" at the Oakville Grange on Monday afternoon in Centralia.
Josephine, played by Tricia Cushman, left, Amy, played by Elaina Marugg, center, and Meg, played by Sara Gilchrist rehearse a scene from "Little Women" at the Oakville Grange on Monday afternoon in Centralia. The play — which is put on by students in PATH (Performing Arts to Homeschoolers) runs from Thursday to Saturday at 7 p.m., tickets are $10.
The curtain will go up, the lights will go down and the scene will be set for the theatrical version of the great American classic “Little Women” this week in Centralia.
The play is being performed by home-schooled high school students.
Opening night is Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Oakview Grange. Additional performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $10. The play is put on by Performing Arts to Homeschoolers, a non-profit organization that offers theater and music classes to students ages 5 to 18.
Director Angela Wilcox chose the story because it fit with the number of students she had, 10, and because she enjoys the novel the play is based on.
“It is a beautiful story and it needs to be told,” she said on Monday during a dress rehearsal. “I am proud of the final product.”
The story follows the lives of the four March sisters from their teenage years to adulthood as they grow up during the Civil War in the Union.
This is the fourth play PATH has put on. Others include Jane Austen's “Persuasion” and Shakespeare’s comedy “Love Labour’s Lost,” in its original text.
“Persuasion” was the first play Henry Wegener was in. Since then, he has been in two other plays, counting “Little Women,” with PATH. He is the male lead in the play, Laurie, a possible love interest for the second oldest sister, Jo.
“I was bit by the theater bug,” he said. “It is something I’ve always liked. I love to perform.”
Being in theater has helped Wegener develop several skills, including public speaking and responsibility, he said.
The play has been in rehearsals since January, Stage Manager Evelyn Murray said. For the first three months, they met once a week to help reduce the travel burden on many of the families who come from as far away as Kalama. As opening night approaches, the frequency of rehearsals picks up.
“These kids put together a high school production in a fraction of the time as a traditional high school,” she said.
For Wilcox, the best part of the process is working with the students and watching them and their characters grow.
“I always see them blossom from the first rehearsal to the first night of the show,” she said.
Wilcox said she could not have put on the show without the help of Murray and Assistant Director Andrea Gallien.
For students interested in joining PATH, send an email to perfromingartstohomeschoolers@gmail.com or find them on Facebook @perfromingartstohomeschoolers.
Tickets to this week’s shows can be purchased at pathpresents.brownpapertickets.com.
The Oakview Grange is located at 2715 N. Pearl St., Centralia.
