'The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer' tells story of bullying

Posted: 12:00am on Mar 24, 2011; Modified: 10:43am on Apr 1, 2011

  • CAST LIST

    Snoogle-Fleejer: Adam Archer appeared in the Mainstage productions of “The Wizard of Oz,” “Bear Country,” “Inherit the Wind,” “Father of the Bride” and “The Complete History of America (Abridged);” in the Springer Children’s Theater productions of “Big Friendly Giant” (twice) and “Afternoon of the Elves” and in the Studio II productions of “Crimes of the Heart” and “A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline.” Adam is the Springer’s assistant education coordinator and improvisation teacher. He has performed with CLIMB Theatre in Minnesota, Barter Theatre in Virginia and Rose of Athens (Georgia). He also plays the father.

    Mother: Lisa Cesnik returns to recreate the role she originated in the premiere of “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer.” Lisa is producing artistic director of Rose of Athens Theatre. Directing credits include “The Shape of Things” at the University of Georgia, “As You Like It” atPiedmont College and “Rumors” and “Lysistrata” at Columbus State University. Her Springer directing credits include “The Complete History of America (Abridged),” “The Bible: The Complete Word of God (Abridged),” “Crimes of the Heart,” “Moonlight and Magnolias,” “The Odd Couple,” “Tartuffe” and “Winnie the Pooh.” Roles at the Springer include “Romeo and Juliet,” “Oliviatown,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “The Father of the Bride” and “On Golden Pond.” She also plays the lifeguard.

    RED TEAM

    Jeremy: Joshua Cellar played a Munchkin in “The Wizard of Oz.” He is a fourth grader at New Mountain Hill and has been a part of the Springer Theater Academy for three years.

    Jimbo: Josh Ivanjack is a seventh grader at Faith Middle School. He appeared in “Yankee Doodle” and “Santa’s Rockin’ Christmas Eve” at White Elementary.

    Danielle: Rikki Hightower is in the eighth grade at Harris County Middle School where she played Mr. Monotone in “The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet.”

    Anna: Anna Katherine Drew is in the seventh grade at Brookstone. She relates to this play in part because she broke both her legs. She has won three Best Team Player awards as a Springer Theater Academy student.

    Zack: William Rud is in the seventh grade at Glenwood School. He’s a Boy Scout and hopes to be a lifeguard.

    Sami: Julia Allen is from Calcutta, India. She appeared in “Ramona Quimby” for the Springer Children’s Theater. She is an eighth grader at St. Luke School where she performed in “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Music Man” and “Alice in Wonderland.”

    Molly: Reed Cardwell is homeschooled. This is her Springer debut.

    Hugo: Ryan Drew was named Best Team Player of his group at the Springer Theater Academy. He connects with this play because he’s seen a shark, a dolphin and a whale.

    BLUE TEAM

    Jeremy: Lewis Ashe played a Lollipop Kid in “The Wizard of Oz.” He is a fourth-grader at St. Anne-Pacelli. This is his Springer debut. A crab bit him once at the beach but it didn’t look anything like a Snoogle-Fleejer.

    Jimbo: Connor Gilpatrick is an eighth grader at Faith Middle School. He won the Most Improved Award at the Springer Theater Academy.

    Danielle: Maddie Ray has been a Springer Theater Academy student for four years. She is an eighth grader at St. Anne-Pacelli. In various years, she has played a bon-bon, a party girl and a clown in “The Nutcracker” in the Bill Heard Theatre.

    Anna: Hannah Dickens played a Lost Boy in “Peter Pan.” Her credits at the Family Theatre include “The Hobbit,” “The Magician’s Nephew,” “Stuart Little,” “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Annie,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “The Jungle Book.”

    Zack: Cody Montesclaros is making his Springer debut. He has appeared in “We’ve Come So Far” and “Remains to Be Seen” at Veterans Memorial Middle School. He has been a student of the Springer Theater Academy for five years.

    Sami: Alexis Ramsey is sixth grader at St. Anne-Pacelli. She has appeared in “Jack and the Bean Stalk” and “Merry Christmas” at Fort Benning.

    Molly: Savannah Fowler is sixth grade president at Calvary Christian School. She played a talking sheep in “Christmas at Northside Baptist Church.”

    Hugo: Benjamin Dickens has appeared in “Pilgrim’s Progress,” “The Hobbit” and “The Magician’s Nephew” at the Family Theatre. He is a homeschooled fourth grader.

  • IF YOU GO

    What: “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer,” based on the children’s book written by former President Jimmy Carter and illustrated by his daughter, Amy, was adapted into a children’s play by the Springer’s Ron Anderson. The story is about a little boy who is bullied. When he becomes friends with a baby sea monster, he embarks on a grand adventures and saves the village.

    When: 7 p.m. Friday and April 1, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and April 2

    Where: Foley Hall of the Springer Opera House, 1016 Second Ave.

    Tickets: $5-$10

    Information: 706-327-3688

The children’s book written by former President Jimmy Carter and illustrated by his daughter, Amy, comes to life at the Springer Opera House this weekend.

Director Ron Anderson adapted “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer” for the stage. The show is appropriate for kids in kindergarten and elementary school.

The story’s main character is Jeremy, a young boy who is being bullied by other children because he’s smart and physically disabled. His friend, Hugo, who is even smarter, is also being bullied.

One day, as the other children are picking on Hugo and Jeremy, a sea monster comes onto the beach. All the children run away except Jeremy, who can’t run. Jeremy is scared at first but soon becomes friends with the young Snoogle-Fleejer.

The two have all sorts of great adventures.

Student cast members

The Springer performed this show seven years ago when most of the current cast members were between 4 and 7 years old.

Rikki Hightower, 14, an eighth-grader at Harris County Carver Middle School, remembers seeing the show and “loved it.” She’s playing bully Danielle on the Red Team.

Because the cast is mostly made up of students who perform for their peers and have to miss six mornings of classes during the two-week run, Anderson double-casts the roles. Student actors are either on the Red Team or the Blue Team.

Another red team member, Julia Allen (Sami), 14, an eighth-grader at St. Luke School, said she saw the show seven years ago but doesn’t remember much of it because she was in the second grade.

Joshua Cellar, a 9-year-old fourth-grader at New Mountain Hill School in Harris County, plays Jeremy on the Red Team.

He was a Munchkin in “The Wizard of Oz” earlier this season, but this is his first lead role.

He said it was challenging figuring out how to make his character believable as a child with a physical disability.

He said he makes sure he can turn his ankle a certain way and that he’s careful to keep his movements small.

Adult cast members

Adam Archer, one of two adults in the cast, plays the Snoogle-Fleejer. He’d never seen the show before but was flattered when Anderson insisted Archer would be the perfect “Snoog.”

The other adult actor is Lisa Cesnik, who reprises her role as Jeremy’s mother.

Cesnik said she encourages Jeremy to ignore the kids who are bullying him.

“It does pretty much work,” she said.

She’s grateful when Jeremy makes a friend, but she doesn’t know his new friend is a sea monster.,

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