It is her innate talent, and one she hopes will gain her some notice
among her over-achieving siblings.
Each week Edwina, rehearses and
stages the song-and-dance-laden "Dear Edwina Show" in the family garage
in Paw Paw, Mich. The next show could be her shot at familial fame
because Dr. Joyce Brothers has bowed out of the Kalamazoo Advice-a-palooza,
and someone from the event is going to scout Edwina as a possible
replacement.
Edwina wants the show to be perfect, which in musical comedy
tradition, cues a series of problems. They include Scott (Ethan
Carlson), the advice show's stage manager, choosing this important show
to slip to Edwina a letter announcing his undying love for her.
The cast of 7- to 13-year-olds carries on, dealing in musical numbers
with kid-troubling issues like what to do if offered icky food, how to
deal with mean brother and how to set the table.
The others in the cast are: Brenner Barclay, Chase Barclay, Bailey
Barnes, Zach Cope, Kelse Cummings, James Fenoglio, Lexie Garles, Claire
Hartman, Bethany Kennedy, Madison Lock, Grayson Manley, Katie
Schieferecke, Mary Stithem and Claire Sundbye.
"It is a very cute children's show," said director Joanna Daffron,
TCT's volunteer coordinator.
While Edwina is the star of her advice show, "Dear Edwina Jr."
contains mostly ensemble numbers with lively songs — and a couple of
touching ones — by composer Zina Goldrich and lyricist Marcy Heisler.
Skip Ellis is music director of the show, which is choreographed by
Kayla Supon Carter. Keyboard player Elaine Wellborn, along with a pair
of percussion-playing parents, Bob and Rachel Lock, serve as the show's
pit orchestra.
Kate Stires designed the costumes, while Adam Jenks designed the set
and lights, with assistance on the latter from student Josh Witt, who
along with Matt Hamel stage-manages the production.
Because of the unexpected death Aug. 4 of TCT volunteer Brendan
Gilchrist, who served on the technical crew of several productions, the
student stage managers and others put in several hours to ready the show
for its opening, Daffron said.