MAC Rising Stars performs this weekend at Hainline Theatre
MACOMB — A culmination of summer performing for campers of the Macomb Arts Center (MAC) Rising Stars:Youth Theatre Experience program will be held on Friday, July 29 at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, July 30 at 2 p.m. at WIU's Hainline Theatre.
Nan Crossman, Executive Director of MAC, says the 38 children who signed up this year is the highest participation the program has had so far. The group is a combined three week program for children interested in theater.
The group started out as the “Flying Monkeys,” a one week program for kids through sixth grade. “Flying Squirrels” was then added for older children. Rising Stars is open to kids age six through 14. They have to have completed kindergarten and can go all the way through completing eighth grade. At high school level, they can become assistants.
There are five adult leaders and two high school assistants who are present at different times. One day there may be four leaders, and maybe three at another time. She said the changing crew influences the dynamic.
“There is an influx of new ideas as people come in and out. The kids do not get bored. They find ways to entertain themselves. Everyone is in something. Some that don't have a lot to do, do other things like costume designs, set ideas, etc.,” she said.
Ethan Ivey, Music Director for Rising Stars and a music teacher at Edison says he's never seen an activity consecutively attended by students until this one.
“This year's show was developed around the idea of respect, that is our theme this year. We spent time discussing about what respect means to each of us and how do you show respect? How do you receive respect? How should we respond to disrespect?,” said Ivey. “We used those to create their stories, then everything has one cohesive feeling across the board.”
There are ten to twelve mini songs that are still being developed. Ivey helps put the words in the songs to music.
Every year Rising Stars has had three to four stories that are tied together during the performance, this year there are six different stories as mini plays.
“The kids have the ideas. They do everything from start to finish – writing the plays, rehearsing, performing and even costumes,” Crossman said, “We do have props that we use from WIU because we try to keep things simple.”
Aside from Crossman and Ivey, the leaders are Breahna Lesemann, Heidi Clemmens and Annie Powell. Teen assistants this year are Kate Killian-Johnson and Elena Jones.
“We do everything. Working on shows, getting juice out for breaks. Some older kids help out with different things, they're very helpful,” she said.
Western Illinois University's (WIU) Department of Theatre and Dance is allowing MAC to use their stage for the productions. The event will be held at WIU's Hainline Theatre, a part of Brown Hall. Tickets are available at the door for $5 each.
This article originally appeared on The McDonough County Voice: Youth to perform on WIU campus
