Free performances are a 'dream come true'

~Three shows will be held on Saturday afternoon, evening

SIKESTON -- Hope Terrell, a longtime supporter and member of the Sikeston Little Theater, will finally see a dream of hers come true this weekend, when the performance "The Littlest Angel," takes the stage.

"This has been a dream for about three years," Terrell said. "To just give it to our members free as a Christmas present."

And so the play, which has only been put on twice before in Sikeston, will have three shows on Saturday. Members get first dibs on the tickets, but others can pick them up for free beginning this Friday.

"This is just a special performance, said Mike Marsh, president of the Little Theater's Board of Directors. It will also be the sixth show the theater has put on this year, something that has never been done before, he noted.

The other two performances of the play were several decades ago. "In those days, we had to do it in the middle school gym," recalled Terrell, who had directed the play.

Jamie Graeff, director of the play, said she and co-director Stephanie Grimes were honored when asked to direct the play, because of Terrell's connection.

"It was our pleasure," said Graeff. "It's something someone who has given so much to the theater wanted."

The performance is about 30 minutes long. But, it is preceded by carols and dramatic readings by cast members from other performances and followed with a half-hour cookie reception after the show. Music at the reception will be provided by the Music Club from the fifth and sixth grade center, Graeff noted.

It was a real community effort to put on the performances, she said, adding that the set work was done by Darrell and Myra Wood.

"The play is very sweet -- it's heartwarming," said Graeff. "If you want an hour and a half that will truly put you in the mood for Christmas, this is the place to come."

It's an all-youth cast, which features 20 children from Sikeston and the surrounding community, said Graeff. "It's a talented group of kids," Graeff said.

Playing the lead role of the littlest angel is Ivy Clinton, 10. The other lead role of the gatekeeper (who serves as narrator) is Caroline Jackson.

"I didn't actually try out for this role," said Caroline, who has been in one other Little Theater production. "I tried out for anything, and this is what they gave me."

Ivy didn't try out for her role, either. She was asked to do it, and if she would mind playing a boy in the play.

"I just have to put my hair up," said Ivy. This is her third appearance on stage with the Little Theater.

"The play is about a little angel who is insignificant to everyone else," Caroline said. "But then he gets his box and he finds that he is not as insignificant as everybody thought."

Ivy noted that her character is the newest addition to heaven. "I think he is really upset, and he's not good at everything in heaven," she said.

Graeff described the lead character as "a dejected little angel who gets to heaven. He doesn't quite know his place -- he doesn't think there's anything for a little boy angel to do," she said.

Even the box he received, although it makes the littlest angel happy in the end, upsets him, because it's wooden, shabby, and seems to be worthless -- and is not near as pretty as the other angels' boxes, Ivy continued.

But when the littlest angel presents his box to the child of God, it's that box that is most treasured.

"At the end, he's really happy and changes his ways," Ivy said.

The two lead characters are prepared to take the stage.

"I feel 100 percent ready, and I think everyone else is, too," said Caroline.

But when the play comes to an end, it will be a bit bittersweet, as they will miss the practices and the show, which both said has gotten them in the Christmas spirit.

Ivy said "I could do the show 100 times."

Show times are scheduled for 1, 3:30 and 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets, which are free, can be picked up by the public at Collins Music beginning at 9:30 a.m. Friday.