Some Things Just Make You 'Squirm'

Join Apple Tree Arts young students for the wacky, funny musical, “Squirm” at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6 at , 12 West St.

Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children five and older and free for children four and younger. Tickets will be sold at the door.

The show is all about the creatures that often make people feel uncomfortable and squirm. Children portray worms, spiders, bats and a snake.  The creatures sing songs explaining their virtues and why people should appreciate them.

The 17 elementary school-aged children have learned dialogue, choreography and songs for the past ten weeks. They have created props to decorate the set, too. Students are from Grafton, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Millbury, Oxford and Clinton.

“The songs’ musical style matches the different kinds of creatures in the play,” explained Lisa Scarlett, co-director of the show and theatre arts director of Apple Tree Arts. “The song 'Cool to be a Worm' is a slow, sultry bossa nova tune. The bats sing a vaudeville musical number tune, 'Give a Bat a Call' that is similar to their frenetic movements,” she added.

The musical’s co-director, Laurie Baker, is responsible for teaching the young thespians the show’s music and providing them direction on movement. She is a long-time faculty member of the school’s early childhood education and theater departments.

Family members are assisting with the marquee, refreshments, publicity, fundraising using star grams and with set-up and tear-down. Connie Hopkins is busy sewing actors’ costumes.