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Cole Elrod changes stations in Radio Skit. (Photos by Keith McCoy)

Seth Bittle plays as a voice on the radio as Elrod changes stations.

Gracie Ledbetter, Gavin Clark, Alexis Carr and Johnathan Smith in Movie Skit.

Ledbetter and Clark's characters share a side-hug, which was passed down the row from each character.

MacKenzie Atkinson, Caley Branch and Kelsey Eloff in Pebbles in a Stream.

Brisco Smith and Emily Brant in Common Core.

Seth Bittle plays Mr. Floc, an alien researcher.

Destiny Casale and MacKenzie Atkinson act out Dog Training for Dummies.

Caley Branch and Brisco Smith act out Gordon Ramsey Makes It Easy.

Nathan Quesenberry, Tanner Bean, Erin Shirley and Ryleigh Anderson act out Sherlock Holmes and The Diamond Thief.

Ashlynn Young recites the definition of brouhaha. Classmates Alex Blackerby, Gavin Clark, Hayden Anderson, Johnathan Smith, Joseph Anderson, Itzel Juarez and Lacie Jarvis also recited entries from the dictionary.

Lacie Jarvis recites the definition for brownie.

Levi Burchfield explains math as Mr. V. B'rainy.

Breyanna Moseley in Royal Paper.

Young and Cooper Branch in Royal Paper.

Brooklyn Keenum, Erin Shirley, Anna Blackerby and Frida Maldonado in Imaginary Bus.

Elrod and Nathan Quesenberry argue in Surf and Turf.

Candace Anderson, Hayden Anderson, Audrey Carlee and Kinsley Martin star in Method Acting.

Kelsey Eloff drops a book into the translator as Captain Skirt.

Elrod plays Prince Alarming and meets Princess Zen in the translation of Fairy Tales for Children.

There was a fashion show starring Elrod, Smith, Moseley, Mia Smith and Maldonado in the Vogue Magazine translation.

Hairdressers played by Maldonado and Brooklyn Keenum cut the hair of Moseley and Smith, with surprising results.

Keenum and Smith act as a driving instructor and her student.

Students presented flowers to director Jillena Smith after the show.

The cast of Alien Research, a production of the Jemison Middle School Drama Club.

By STEVEN CALHOUN/Staff Writer

The Jemison Middle School Performing Panthers performed “Alien Research” in the Jemison High School auditorium on March 21.

The cast consisted of 37 students from the drama club. Every member had a part in the play, which was a goal the program had from the start with this production, according to director Jillena Smets.

“Since I had so many kids that wanted to be a part of it and we didn’t turn any kid away, we found a play that had multiple parts so everybody can have a part,” Smets said.

The play was about aliens who discover books on earth and use technology to bring the stories to life, albeit with some comical inaccuracies.

The audience laughed as students acted out books such as “Dog Training for Dummies,” “Sherlock Holmes and The Diamond Thief” and even the dictionary.

“The kids have been practicing since the first of the year, two or three times a week, giving it their all,” Smets said. “Not every kid is a sports kid. Not every kid is the play an instrument kid. They need some arts … and it’s important for them to be able to have some type of outlet to express themselves.”

Smets said many of the actors have gained confidence they did not start the school year with by pushing themselves to act in front of their classmates and parents.

The play included skits written or modified by the students. Seth Bittle wrote and performed in a skit and played Mr. Floc of the Alien Research Unit in the main play.

“I’ve learned a lot about acting. I feel like I’ve learned more about how other people can react to different stresses,” Bittle said.

Bittle said his favorite part of drama club is “being with [his] friends.”

To raise funds for the production, the club sold ads for the program. The production had support from many local businesses and was able to perform for the school and public.

Cast list: Brisco Smith, Cole Elrod, Joseph Anderson, Itzel Juarez, Audrey Carlee, Emily Brant, Caley Branch, Anna Blackerby, Brooklyn Keenum, Frida Maldonado, Candace Anderson, Ryleigh Anderson, Gracie Ledbetter, Breyanna Moseley, Lacie Jarvis, Erin Shirley, Destiny Casale, Johnathon Smith, Allee Martin, Kelsey Eloff, Tanner Bean, Gavin Clark, Alex Blackerby, Kinsley Martin, Aliyah Patterson, Stetson Lucas, Ashlynn Young, Cooper Branch, Alexis Carr, MacKenzie Atkinson, Joshua Quesenberry, Hayden Anderson, Tucker Bean, Nathan Quesenberry, Seth Bittle, Mia Smith and Levi Burchfield.

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