Stories
Coming soon: STARSTRUCK
April 22, 2022
Find out about Aspen Country Day School’s big play at the Wheeler, May 20 and 21 and hear from the playwrights themselves.
The saying goes, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll end up among the stars.”
That’s exactly what happens when a group of Aspen Country Day School students veer off into space on a moonshot gone off course. With a little ingenuity and a lot of courage, they explore the galaxy. Along the way, they discover ingenious solutions to problems back on earth. But the question is, how will they ever get back? Audiences will find out when STARSTRUCK blasts off May 20 & 21. Showtime each night is 5:30 pm.
Every year, Aspen Country Day School’s graduating Eighth Graders work together to create a concept for the annual musical. Guided by drama teacher Marci Sketch, they write the script, choose the songs, cast the parts, and work with younger grades to find just the right scene for each class. STARSTRUCK will feature children in Fourth through Eighth Grade, along with adorable space creatures from PreKindergarten.
Tickets for STARSTRUCK
Eighth Grade parents presale one day only: Wednesday, April 27, noon to 5 pm only, by phone or in person at the Wheeler box office
Fourth to Seventh Grades plus PreK presale one day only: Wednesday, May 4, noon to 5 pm only, by phone or in person at the Wheeler box office
Open ticket sales: online starting Wednesday, May 11
Middle School students and PreK appear each night. Annie’s Fourth & Trish’s Fifth appear Friday only. Loch’s Fourth and Brett’s Fifth appear Saturday only. Kinder through Third Grade will see the dress rehearsal, then have their own plays on campus the following week.
Interview with the playwrights
We checked in with some Eighth Grade students to find out more about the production. Thanks to Nick I., Brighton J., and Carson S. for your time!
What is the play all about?
Nick: So, we’re going to space. That’s the big theme of the play, space. We’re aiming for the moon, but we miscalculate, so we veer off into space. In our own little space pods, we explore different planets, so that’s where the scenes take place with the younger grades.
For example, the Sixth Graders — from space, they look back at the earth and see that it’s dying. So they look for solutions to problems on earth. And the Fifth Graders meet some mineral people, aliens who are actually rocks, so they take samples and get energy they can take back to earth. For the Fourth Grade, they crash land on a planet where the culture is all based on sports. So they play a basketball game in space and learn about teamwork.
Carson: So all these groups finally get back together, and they have some solutions for earth’s problems, but how will they get back home? That’s the question.
How did you come up with the idea of space?
Carson: Rocksy and a few people had the idea of space, and I want to be an astronaut. Marci said there was a lot of possibility in that theme.
How do you collaborate as playwrights?
Brighton: As we work on the scenes, we’re set up in groups, and each group is in charge of writing the script for their scenes. Some groups are also working on choreography.
How does this space mission actually get off the ground?
Nick: We get money from the “Wolman Fund” to build a rocket and launch it right here from ACDS. We have watched all the space movies for inspiration: The Right Stuff, Apollo 13, and more. We have the NASA launch sequence going in the background. You’re going to love it!