St. Mary has a long history of musical productions and this year’s production of “Away in a Mango” did not disappoint. Kindergarten, first, and second grade students worked alongside their teachers, parents and other staff members to put together a wonderful Christmas performance. It literally “takes a village” to make these productions happen and we are so blessed by our dedicated teachers, staff and parent volunteers who came together to make this experience possible for our students.
Thank you to Mrs. Halverson who took on the important and sometimes stressful role of Director to keep this important tradition alive for our students! We are grateful for Mr. Mauer’s production assistance, as well as the support and direction from Ms. Kaminski and Mrs. Hartwig whose hard work and patience made this play a true ensemble production. Your dedication to our students is so appreciated and valued. The talent and guidance shared by Amanda Prosser and Ben Haimann was so appreciated, along with the support along the way from our always helpful and giving school office staff, including Mrs. Joyner, Ms. Janzer and Mrs. McCabe.
The productions at St. Mary’s are on another level because of the many contributions of our generous and talented parents who see the value in giving our kids these opportunities to explore theater, gain confidence and have lasting memories. Thank you to Ann MacGillis for leading this group along with Kari Pollard, Beth Hartwig, Beth Arends, Sarah Nolan, Kristin Latham, Marie Welch, Alison Wood and Sharon Memory for their many contributions to this production, including costumes, organization, props, make-up and teacher support.
Special thanks to Heidi Gold and Katie Wieske who spent countless hours perfecting main stage props like the palm trees, mangos and coconuts. It takes a special creativity to re-use bones from last year’s Lion King production, where Heidi Gold and Katie Wieske used those props and made them into a signal fire, complete with a moving lit flame! Rick Stelpflug and Chris Leonard brought the group’s ideas to life with their boat crafting and additional stage props. Parent volunteers on the day of the production are crucial and appreciated, and special thanks as well to the Spaeth family who created another show poster masterpiece! You all deserve a full note of thanks and are a great example to our students on what hardwork and dedication can accomplish, so please know how much you are each appreciated for your time, dedication and hard work! (And we can’t forget a thank you to the Kindergarten class for bringing treats and refreshments for all to enjoy – thank you!)
Theatre Guild is always looking for help to keep the productions running. If you’re interested in joining, leading or producing, please contact Ann MacGillis.
Photo Credits: Ann MacGillis, Andy Wiesner