The play’s the thing this summer for 10 Ironton Junior High School students.

Sunday, August 12, 2001

The play’s the thing this summer for 10 Ironton Junior High School students.

The students performed a play they wrote and produced Thursday in the Ironton High School Auditorium for their parents and classmates in the Jump Start program, which is part of the Ironton GEAR UP.

Their play, "Star Struck," is light-hearted, filled with contemporary pop music and some humor at the expense of the modern music industry, pop stars and their sometimes overzealous fans.

The actresses portrayed a group of teen-aged girls and those they encountered as they worked to form a pop group called Star Struck. At the end of the play, the successful singers and dancers return for a performance in their hometown.

The students started working on the play Aug. 1 and began practicing on stage Monday.

Their instructor, Mickey Fisher, was pleased with the product of their efforts.

"Eventually, I just coached them," Fisher said. "They ran it all themselves."

The students worked as a team and put on a smooth performance, he said.

Some of the girls had been in school plays but said they learned from this experience. Some played two or three characters, and all had to change clothes between scenes.

For Rachel Goody, 13, this was an introduction to the stage. She said it was difficult for her to learn to portray her shy character because she is more outgoing.

The actresses had been friends before the class.

"I think we’re better friends now," 13-year-old Ashley Hall said.

Most of all, the girls said they had fun.

Goody said it was worth it to get up early in the morning to participate.

The others girls, who had grins stretched across their faces after their performance, seemed to agree.

"Sometimes, I was having so much fun I didn’t even want to stop for a snack break," said Lauren Knipp, 11.

There were seven classes for Ironton Junior High students. In addition to the drama class, there were social studies, language arts, keyboarding, mathematics and two science classes.

The GEAR UP program works to make Ironton students more prepared for a college education.