By CHARITY SMITH
[email protected]
Ironwood – The Awkward Stage Drama Club will return to the stage, after an extended hiatus during the pandemic, for three performances of “Cafe Murder,” at the Golden Dragon in Ironwood from March 22-24.
The Youth Theater Group is a collaborative effort of the Ironwood Carnegie Library and the historic Ironwood Theater. The cast is made up of 11 high school student actors from the Hurley, Ironwood, Bessemer, and Wakefield-Marenisco school districts, as well as a few homeschoolers. Some of the cast are veterans of the show, while others will be making their debut.
The group is co-led by Mary Hansen and Gene Goss. Hansen said it was great to revive the band.
“It’s been over a year and a half since the students have been together, and the returning students have really missed each other,” Hansen said. “Gene and I, we really missed them. I didn’t recognize a few of them at first, as they got much bigger.
The spring production, “Cafe Murder”, is described in advertisements as “a hilarious crime comedy where the audience is the only objective witness.” The public will have the chance to interact with the performers during the show and will be asked to help solve the murder.
“The setting is in a cafe and the Golden Dragon conference room is the perfect scene,” Hansen said.
The Awkward Stage Drama Club, made up of students in grades 6 through 12, isn’t just about acting, according to Hansen.
“This club gives students the chance to try something new. It’s a safe place to be accepted for the gifts they bring and to know if playing is something they would want to do again,” Hansen said. “These children are full of courage. It’s not easy memorizing lines and pretending to be someone different, especially with 80 pairs of eyes watching you.
Spectators can also enjoy the restaurant’s appetizer buffet throughout the hour-long performance. Hansen said the audience won’t need face masks because it’s a food event, and the cast must be mask-free so they’ll be heard and their facial expressions seen.
All performances will be at 6 p.m. and doors will open at 5:30 p.m.
Only 80 tickets are available for each performance. Tickets must be purchased today at the Ironwood Carnegie Library. For more information, call 906-932-0203.
