April 4, 2006

Campbell Christian School students sell out
performances of ‘Treasure Island’

By Susan Camp
Special to the Times

Thirty-eight students in fourth and fifth grade at Campbell Christian School spent 80 hours each rehearsing after school for their performance of the musical adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island” on March 17 and 18. Their efforts were rewarded when each performance sold out almost immediately by an enthusiastic crowd of family, friends and staff members.

Michael Lee as Jaime, Jacob Aronen as Jim Hawkins, and Lauren Sanchez as Molly in “Treasure Island.”

“We auditioned last year in November, and I began memorizing my lines during Christmas break as my family drove to Arizona,” says fifth grader Jacob Aronen who played the lead part of Jim Hawkins.

According to Sunny Ahrens, music teacher at CCS and director of “Treasure Island,” the level of excellence she and assistant director Shelly Lautenslager, a third grade teacher, expect is very high. “The kids are capable of a top notch performance,” says Ahrens. “So we rehearsed for two hours after school, four days a week for 10 weeks.”

But it wasn’t all hard work. “We had a lot of fun practicing,” adds Lautenlager.

Technical director Tony Gaitan is one of many parent volunteers. “Add set design and construction, lighting, costumes and make-up, all done by parent volunteers, and the show’s involvement grows close to 100 people. It’s no wonder that our annual spring musical continues to sell out!”