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Arts & Entertainment

Theater Group Presents 'Miss Nelson is Missing'

Birmingham actors get ready to present entertainment for all ages at Groves High School theater.

Tiffany Sims is betting that when theatergoers first set eyes on the set of Miss Nelson is Missing, they will head straight down memory lane.

“As soon as they see it, it will all come back to them … days when they’d read or listen to someone else reading the story to them,” said Sims, artistic director of , a Bloomfield Hills-based performing arts organization.

The group’s “Gypsy Players,” a troupe of nine 6th to 12th grade actors, will present the storybook show at 6:30 p.m. June 29 and 30 in the Little Theatre at .  

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Performers who are Birmingham residents include Anna Daugherty, a freshman at Groves High School; Stephanie Sills, a 7th grader at ; and Julia Wright, an 8th grader at . 

The play, based on a classic children’s story written by Harry Allard and illustrated by James Marshall, revolves around Miss Nelson and her rowdy students, who find it difficult to sit still for story hour. One day when they arrive at school, the kids discover that their sweet teacher has disappeared and has been replaced by a scary substitute — Viola Swamp. Life in Room 207 gets difficult as the students search frantically for their missing teacher and try to solve the mystery of her disappearance.

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Daugherty, 14, has been involved with theater for as long as she can remember. Her first show with Project DayDream was Beauty and the Beast. For Miss Nelson is Missing, Daugherty plays the role of a detective and a school principal.

“It’s hard to portray one character and go really fast and change and then ‘change into’ another voice,” said Daugherty, “but it's a lot of fun.” Daugherty’s goal is to be on Broadway some day.

Wright, 12, has been acting since third grade. She plays Phoebe in the production.

“It’s a fun role to play because Phoebe's the kind of person who’s shy and is always sick and nauseous,” Wright said. Her favorite part about acting is that she gets to not only know the productions well but also the people in the productions.

“I make new friends and learn new things,” she said.

Sills, 12, plays the part of Morris (Mouse) in the production.

“Theater allows me to express myself in a whole different way,” said Sills, who  hopes to some day attend The Juilliard School. Like the other kids, Sills likes to meet new people and “theater helps me get through stage fright.”

The "Gypsy Players" is Project DayDream’s brand-new theater troupe. It is designed for serious-minded students who are committed to working hard and delivering top-quality performances, said Sims. Actors perform at a variety of functions, including fairs, churches, parades and local festivals throughout the school year. 

The group meets at the in Bloomfield Hills and spent about 60 hours rehearsing for Miss Nelson is Missing, said Sims, who founded Project DayDream in 2002 with the aim of providing unique performing arts opportunities to families and communities.  

Sims and her players present two musicals during the summer. Miss Nelson is Missing is Project DayDream’s first “straight play,” said Sims.

“Tiffany (Sims) has a lot of good ideas on how to stage things,” said Daugherty. “She helps us with our characters and how to develop them.”   

 During the school year, Project DayDream contracts with a variety of schools to work with drama students. “The schools we contract with do not have a drama program, per say,” said Sims, “so we supplement that for them.”

Sims grew up in Detroit’s University District and attended Royal Oak’s . She then studied communications at Central Michigan University and Clark Atlanta University in Georgia.

“The audience is sure to find the show funny,” Sims said. “All ages will enjoy watching the kids and their crazy antics and see the difference between Miss Nelson and Viola Swamp.” 

Tickets to Miss Nelson is Missing are $10 per person. They can be ordered by visiting www.projectdaydream.org. Tickets will also be available at the door. For more information about Project DayDream and the "Gypsy Players," call 248-219-7644.

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