Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >> Jennifer Buchanan / The Herald  (click to enlarge) Kaley Trapp (in gray) makes sure that director Jennifer Owen of the Missoula Children's Theater can hear her as the group sings during tryouts for "Hansel & Gretel" in late September at Cedarcrest Middle School.   ADVERTISEMENT     CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 Aspiring young actress shows what she can do By Kaitlin Manry, Herald Writer Kaley Trapp throws open the gym door, trying to look confident. She's been imagining this day for weeks -- years, really -- since her debut as an archeologist in a first-grade play. Now a seventh-grader at Cedarcrest Middle School, she feels destined to be Gretel. The audition begins. "Just because you audition doesn't mean you'll be cast," play leader Jennifer Owen says. "We only have a couple of leads in the show and there's a lot of you here." Kaley sits silently, smiling, hands fidgeting. Like the 55 other aspiring actors, she has two hours to stand out and be cast in "Hansel & Gretel." Her plan: be expressive, smile big, speak loud. But she's nervous; has been all day. Before school, she raced around with her puppy, Koda, to burn energy. She dressed in a stylish gray Mickey Mouse T-shirt and jeans to look fun. Now she has to act. She joins a line of kids, one at a time auditioning for Owen. "I'm Kaley and I'm 12," she shouts, kicking her legs up. Again: "Hi, y'all. Whad up? I'm Kaley and I'm 12 years old." Owen moves a few kids to the front. Kaley stays behind. An hour later, she sings "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." She swings her arms and shakes her hips. She moves up. "Everybody's so good," Owen says. "You're making my job so hard." Kaley plays a memory game, reciting a long grocery list. She remembers everything. "She's good," Owen whispers to a colleague. Decisions are being made. Auditions are over. Now announcements. Kaley sits cross-legged, clapping as her classmates are cast as nasties, campers and Wallybirds. The only roles left are Hansel, Gretel and the witch and her cadre of cooks. Kaley is called. Minutes later, the actress phones her dad. "I got cook!" Young actors Students at Cedarcrest Middle School in Marysville auditioned for "Hansel & Gretel" after class on Sept. 30. Four days later, they performed in the school Commons. The event was organized by The Missoula Children's Theatre, a traveling group that organizes plays at schools. About this essay This is part of an occasional series of 300-word essays about school life. If you have a suggestion for the series, contact reporter Kaitlin Manry at 425-339-3292 or kmanry@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

1. Teen dies after Granite Falls crash 2. Bikini coffee stands to be regulated as adult entertainment 3. Sultan brothers plead guilty in death of rival gang member 4. Body found after house catches fire north of Bothell 5. Gregoire unveils budget with deep cuts, will press for tax hikes 6. Grief and gratitude expressed for four slain officers 7. Two teenagers hurt in crash near Granite Falls 8. Friends and family honor Clearview couple who loved always 9. Roe appointed interim county prosecutor 10. Arlington's budget is ‘bare bones' 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Zambian woman thanks students for their help • Food banks see rise in use • ‘Making Spirits Bright’ in Edmonds • Wolfpack takes aim at state • Seahawks help students smile • 95 and still volunteering • Sno-King joined by local TV king • Veterans back for Wildcats • Lynnwood seeks to plug $2 million budget gap • Snohomish County offers the best and most affordable venues for conferen ... • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed