Turley Publications photo by Ruth M. Lyon

Pirates menace, but finally mean well in ‘Cod of Conduct’.

North Brookfield Youth Club takes a star turn

By Ruth M. Lyon

Turley Publications Reporter

NORTH BROOKFIELD - North Brookfield’s Youth Center Elementary Drama Troupe recently presented another in their ongoing series of entertaining events, with members of the after-school club planning, designing sets, and acting in a lively selection of sketches. They may not be old enough, in grades 3 – 6, to watch Saturday Night Live, but they’ve somehow managed to learn to put serious point across with humor, good stage moves, cleverly designed costumes and minimal sets.

The youth center is a non-profit after-school program for all school-aged children who wish to participate, begun by church and youth officials several years ago, a popular and positive influence on young lives in this small town.

As the curtain opened, a television crew with names like Len Sangle, Zoom, Jay Crew, Ian Charge, Anne Action and Guy Slate allowed the audience to witness, from the start, how the show was headed.

Next, “Belly Busters”, headed by characters Nooda Clue and Izzy Smart carried the fun into the second skit.

From there on, the “School for Super Heroes”, the “Cod of Conduct”, and “Alien Encounter” appeared to enchant the appreciative audience with their clever antics as they encountered, then solved, the problems faced by school kids and even their parents in today’s world.

By the end of the rollicking evening, parents, friends and families of the young thespians had been treated to imaginative, provocative solutions to problems that confront heads of state as well as kindergarten kids - the manners with which to confront the bullies among us, resolve problems peacefully, become a good citizen, and to be considerate of, even to welcome, those among us with differences of appearance, abilities, or life styles.

Youth Club director Marty Toomey, working closely with the group, said she continues to be amazed at the capabilities of the youngsters, who work diligently at school work, home chores, and sports, but take on the extra responsibility for this and other youth club activities. “And it’s not only the stars,” she bragged. “We have a great stage crew; T.J. McCarty, Kris Toomey, Sloan Anderson, Danielle Cleveland and Tom Brunelle are so helpful and do a great job behind the scenes. And the parents and guardians help in so many ways; Tina Buzzell, Brian Toomey, Steve Fenderson, Brenda O’Brien and the North Brookfield LPAC are willing workers whenever we holler for help.”

The ensemble cast includes Savannah Russell, Abby Flyle, Madison Sanborn, Hope Rudzinski, Amelia Jordan, Savannah Langley, Catherine Buzzell, Carlie Rudzinski, Kaitlyn Burnham, Aaron Fontaine, Mackenzie Hart, Aaron Fontaine and Carli Buzzell, Each displayed an amazing ability to play a variety of parts in the five skits.

Toomey said, as the evening drew to a close, “This group of kids feeds on success. I can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next,”