Encore, Encore! The Middle School will inevitably be chanting this once they see the Maltz Theater’s performance of Through The Looking Glass. Ms. McAllister, The Arts Department Chair, has orchestrated a field trip for the entire Middle School to see the play on the morning of Friday October 17.  The Neersyde is excited to bring you up-to-the minute information prior to your trip!  Built in 1979, The Maltz Theatre was originally called The Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre and was created by famous actor Burt Reynolds. Reynolds starred in many hit movies such as the original version of The Longest Yard, Smokey and the Bandit, Cannonball Run, Deliverance, Hooper, Gator, and many other famous movies.

Now known as The Maltz Theater, it is a non profit organization and has become one of Florida’s pre-eminent professional theatres, committed to productions and education through its collaboration with local and national artists. The Maltz Theater draws around 100,000 people annually, making it the state’s largest award-winning regional theater. This year one of the Benjamin Middle School eighth graders, Alina Pimentel,  is playing a role in Through the Looking Glass which is a reimagined version of the classic Lewis Carroll sequel to Alice in Wonderland.   “I really enjoy [acting],” said Pimentel, who has been performing since the age of seven. “It is a different experience than [being a student, and] I really like all the people and everyone’s really nice.”

While Pimentel enjoys acting at the Maltz Theater, she also states that there are hardships involved.  “[Being in the play] is very time consuming.  I’m there from about  4:00 to 9:00  [p.m.] almost every day.”  Andrew Kato, producing and artistic director of  The Maltz Theater and the director of the play, agrees that working on this production is fun and challenging for the kids because they act in all sorts of roles and provide all of the technical support.  “When [the kids] are  not on stage performing, they’re either singing backup or they’re changing,” explained Kato. “They are busy the whole time.  It is a very involved show backstage.” Kato also told us that Pimentel will be playing one of several students “and she’s also one of the tappers and has been with the show all three years” that The Maltz has presented the play.

The story follows a modern-day Alice who is having trouble fitting in with her peers at school. To learn how to face her rivals – a trio of sassy mean girls – she steps through a looking glass  to transport herself into a far-away land and find some answers.  Along the way, she takes a magical boat ride, battles with the Jabberwock and jitterbugs, and meets a group of friendly flowers.  But aside from the plot, Kato seems to think that the students who see the play also receive a learning experience. Kato says that because the play is acted by kids for kids, and  “it’s not a bunch of middle-aged people, [rather]…it’s teenagers,” the play is powerful for its target audience. He says the play stresses “going through issues of peer pressure and self identification and having the courage to be true to yourself when everyone around you is saying you’re weird.”

“Through the Looking Glass is incredibly visual, engaging, and funny,” remarked Kato, who helped conceive and develop the piece. However, something that truly makes this production special to us at Benjamin is that the writer of the play, John Mercurio, happens to be a Benjamin alumni.  “I went to Benjamin from preschool through high school,” recalled Mercurio. “Mr. Benjamin taught me how to read.”  Mercurio also stated that his time at Benjamin inspired him and that he remembers Mrs. Montini, Mrs. Higginbotham, and Mrs. Hogan in particular.

Kato also told us about all that the Maltz Theater offers to kids in the community. So interested students should look into the possibility of participating in some of its many programs. “We…do a program here called ‘First Step to Stardom’ where we audition local kids from across the county once a year, and they’re amazing.”

Finally, although the show is about having fun, it is also important to put on a spectacular performance. As Kato said, “We have an opportunity to showcase young people. We always try to make something highly entertaining and social [and] Alice is such a relatable protagonist because she suffers the way that most teenagers do. She doesn’t feel comfortable in her own skin; she’s sort of in conflict.” Thus the mirror mentioned in the title provides a metaphor of self reflection. Alice is “in conflict with how she perceives herself and how she thinks the rest of the world sees her.”

The Neersyde looks forward to reporting upon the actual trip to The Maltz Theater by the Middle School on Friday morning!