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Elementary students experience Sophie and the Pirates
E-Sophie and the Pirates pic 1
Pirates sneak up on Sophie Delamere (Alexis Bagley) to kidnap her.

The Tiger Den Players had a swashbuckling adventure last week when they took on the one-act play "Sophie and the Pirates" in front of nearly 600 elementary students at the Dawson County Performing Arts Center.

"I was so pleased with our students' performances," said Mallory Nonnemaker, Dawson County High School drama teacher. "Theatre for young audiences is incredibly important to me."

Over the course of two days, 919 students had the chance to see Sophie Delamere, the young wishful girl seeking adventure, get kidnapped by pirates.

Sophie learns that being out to sea with the feisty group isn't as delightful as she'd imagined.

As students from the elementary schools made their way into the auditorium to the sounds of the sea, the sight of a ship on stage and clouds of dry ice, the excitement grew.

"This is so cool! It's a ship," one student exclaimed as he made his way to his seat.

With the invite to the Oct. 20 and 21 performances, teachers were given the option to have the kids bring a $1 donation or canned good to attend.

The canned goods were donated to the Georgia Mountain Food Bank and the cash donations go to the theatre program to fund future perfomances.

"We got great feedback from the students," Nonnemaker said.

"I think our students learned a lot. I am most impressed with the fact that half the students in the play have never been in theatre before and they have worked so hard."

The one-act play followed Sophie, played by Alexis Bagley, as she dreams of leaving home.

Sophie is surprised that things aren't quite what she thought aboard Captain Scourge's vessel, including the fact that Pegleg isn't actually a peg leg. Scourge was played by Tucker Turner.

The elementary showings also helped the drama students prepare for competition. They will go to North Hall High School on Oct. 29 to perform the one act and be evaluated.

Other cast members for "Sophie and the Pirates" included Bronwynne Hill as Egg, Levi Baggett as Dr. Leech, Jonathan Matthews as Pegleg, Collin McGinnis as Squid, Austin Conley as Mr. Pipe, Ashton Bonney as Fish Guts, Hannah Osborne as Bait, Makayla Elzey as Boy, Isaac Dunn as Chum, Kaleb Thomas as Claw/Father, and Cynthia Waller as Alvida/Mother.

The drama department will be staging "Elf" Dec. 1-4.