'Sideways Stories' to begin on Feb. 16

On Feb. 16, the A&M-Commerce Theater Department will begin performing their latest production, "Sideways Stories from Wayside School," at the Performing Arts Center.

The play is based on a series of books written by Louis Sachar. It follows a number of short stories that take place in Wayside School, which graduate student and director of the play Matt Plummer said was not built like an average learning institution.

"In the play, it was supposed to be one story with thirty classrooms on each hall," he said. "But the construction messed up and built one classroom on each story. Now it's 30 stories high with one classroom on each floor, so it's all tilted and wavy. Each story takes place on each individual floor. This play is an adaptation of that where they take all those stories and place them on the thirtieth floor."

This is Plummer's first time directing a full-length production, but he said his previous experiences have helped him take on this new role.

"It's not like I'm just thrown into it," he said. "I've had classes, and last semester I was the assistant director for ‘Iphigenia.' Being under Carrie Klypchak really helped a lot in getting me prepared for this. I definitely feel better prepared for that, and luckily, I had the Christmas break to prepare even more. We cast the show in November, so I had opportunities to escape for a minute and come back really full-force."

Theater major Micah Haynes, who will be playing the roles of Lewis and Mr. Pickle, is in his fourth production at A&M-Commerce. He said the biggest difference about ‘Sideways Stories' is having some extra freedom as an actor.

"Matty [Plummer] is giving us the freedom to really come into our own with our characters, to explore," Haynes said. "He's giving us the chance to completely develop everything. He definitely gives us specific choices that he wants to see in the show, and if we go over too much he can always pull us back, but he definitely let's us do it for ourselves. It's a lot of fun."

Plummer said he did this to see what his actors could bring out in their individual roles.

"We didn't necessarily base them totally off the actual book, because that itself is interpreted," he said. "We wanted to see what they could really bring to it. Me being improve-based in every sense of the word, we just got up and did improv exercises with the characters and had them play around with different voices until we found something that worked. Their assignment over the break was to watch cartoons and send me updates on what they found in the cartoon characters."

Freshman Josh Simmons is at the opposite end of the spectrum from Haynes, as this will be his first performing role at A&M-Commerce. He will play the role of Dameon and said he does not feel extra pressure to do well.

"I don't feel there's any pressure, because I'm not sitting back or being lazy," Simmons said. "I'm getting right into it, so as long as I'm doing everything, I don't feel like there's any pressure on me."

Simmons said the main difference between performing here and theater in high school had to do with professionalism.

"I went to high school in a small, 2A school where they don't care about theater, they care about football," he said. "Coming here it was so different, because it's like a business. You're going in, you're having rehearsals every night from 7-10, you're really getting into it, and everyone else cares about it too."

"Sideways Stories" runs from Feb. 16-18 at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. During these times, Plummer said school districts can bring in their students to enjoy a university production.

"We know the kids are going to be laughing and screaming right along with us," he said. "What we're hoping for is that they come out of the viewing with a revitalized interest in theater and the arts in general. We want them to go back to their school and have the same amount of fun we have in this imaginary classroom."

There is one more showing on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m., providing A&M-Commerce students the best chance to see the play. Plummer said he hopes "Sideways Stories" attracts "children" of all ages.

"This isn't your average children's show," he said. "I know people our age, or even older, are going to enjoy it, too. I remember reading the book when I was in first grade, and I ran into a couple of people across campus that remember the title from back in the day. I think it's something that transcends age completely, because it's something we all remember."

Tickets for the show can be purchased at the Box Office in the Performing Arts Center.