Cast of ‘Miss Nelson is Missing’ at Adventure Theatre MTC. Photo by Bruce Douglas.
Miss Nelson is Missing arrived at Adventure Theatre MTC this month, much to the joy of students and parents all over the Washington/Baltimore area. The classic story of Miss Nelson is Missing, by Harry Allard, has become trendy again as a foot-stomping joy of a musical with book, music and lyrics by Joan Cushing.
Adventure Theatre MTC moves to the head of the class for their portrayal of a teacher at the end of her rope because of the misbehaving elementary school children in Room 207. Miss Nelson is kind and earnest in her goal of teaching the importance of respect, obedience and kindness, but the children easily take advantage of Miss Nelson’s gentleness with endless spit balls, jump-roping and paper airplanes flying at the most inopportune times.
‘Miss Nelson is Missing’ earns an A+!
Obviously at the end of her rope, Miss Nelson goes missing, and strict disciplinarian Miss Viola Swamp steps in as a substitute teacher. The children quickly start to yearn for Miss Nelson’s kind ways. As the children fear Miss Swamp more and more because of her ruler-smacking, yelling ways, they decide to look for Miss Nelson themselves. Little do they know that they don’t have to look to farther than their very own classroom to find her!
The musical version of Miss Nelson is Missing contains all the original story elements, and the songs cleverly express the action of the show. In “The Worst Kids of All!” (Miss Nelson & Kids of 207), the children are gleefully proud of their status as the worst kids at Horace B. Smedley Elementary School.
Sherry Berg in ‘Miss Nelson is Missing.’ Photo by Bruce Douglas.
The standout song for my daughter and me was “The Crime & Punishment Tango.” Miss Swamp takes the children to an intimidating museum of Crime and Punishment instead the sweet and fun zoo, the place Miss Nelson always wanted to take the children. The song is catchy and was the final “lesson” that both convinces the children of the importance of kindness and respect and makes Miss Swamp realize that it is time for Miss Nelson to return.
Jessica Lauren Ball as Miss Nelson and (spoiler alert!) Miss Viola Swamp was wonderful in her dual role. Ball’s Swamp is a perfect balance of intimidation and evil with enough humor thrown in not to scare the children in the audience (not too much anyway!). And Ball’s Miss Nelson personifies everything a child could want in an elementary school teacher.
Matt Dewberry shines while playing all of the various people the children ask to help them find the missing Miss Nelson. It was a joy to watch him switch among his many roles, which variously includePop Hanson, the janitor and narrator; Mr. Blandsorth, the birdcall-loving, ballpoint-pen-collecting principal of Horace B. Smedley Elementary School; Mr. AlCatraz, the Crime and Punishment Museum guard (and Miss Swamp’s song and dance partner in “The Crime & Punishment Tango”); and Mr. McSmogg, the bumbling sleuth.
The actors presenting the children of 207, Sean McComas (Adam), Rachel Viele (Allison), Calvin McCullough (Gregory) and Sherry Berg (Cheryl), were perfectly attuned to elementary aged children who want nothing more than to play and are willing to do whatever it takes not to do school work in school.
The direction by Jennifer L. Nelson keeps the action moving along at a fast-paced, enjoyable clip, and the lighting (designer Brittany Shemuga) and sound (designer Kenny Neal) provide terrific cues to highlight the humorous parts in the show. The choreography in a show like this needs to be lively and stimulating to go with the high-energy songs, and Michael J. Bobbitt has designed splendid dances that fulfill this need perfectly.
Anyone who has read my previous reviews knows that, in my opinion, Adventure Theatre MTC is loaded with impressive talent and is a guaranteed good time. Miss Nelson is Missing earns an A+!
Running Time: 55 minutes, without an intermission.
Miss Nelson is Missing runs through March 9, 2014 at Adventure Theatre MTC, 7300 MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo, MD. For tickets call the box office at 301.634.2270 or click here.
