Waukee Middle School 6th Graders to Bring ‘Under the Big Top’ to Theatre Arts Center


Waukee Middle School students will bring the color and flair of the circus to the Prairieview Theatre Arts Center on Thursday, December 15, at 7:00 p.m. for the 6th grade play titled ‘Under the Big Top’.

Students worked long and hard during November to perfect their performance. The play provides multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate their creative abilities by acting out scenes they wrote themselves during the first half of the play. The second part of the play will include folktales laced with a circus twist.

“Students brainstormed ideas of things that could happen at a circus and then they worked together to write the first part of the performance,” said drama teacher and play director Sarah Schaefer. “We had costume crew members who have designed and made the monkey tails and the ears for the goats. Students also designed the makeup for the animals and other characters.”

Student actors have been and will continue to rehearse 2-3 nights per week up until the final performance date. Crew members – which include students in charge of sound and light operations as well as stage managers – meet once per week, but will increase their number of meeting times as the performance date draws closer.

“This is a great show for small children and families, as there is a lot of activity,” Schaefer said.

Tickets are now available online here and they will be sold at the door. Contact Sarah Schaefer at sschaefer@waukeeschools.org with questions.

Performers include:

Ringmaster                Carson Parker

Dog                            Payton Strobel

Cat                             Macy Davis

Donkey                       Haley Bryan

Baby Goat                   Mikayla Gabrielson

Sister Goat                 Amanda Marchese

Big Goat                      Laden McDonald

Troll                             Kylee Lapham

Fisherman                   Caleb Allison

Ethel                          Rhea Brahmarouthu

Magic Fish                 Liz King