Inside the Alden Terrace Actors Studio

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Members of the Alden Terrace School’s Actors Studio club presented their inaugural play “Bully Busters” to their schoolmates on March 24. Alden Terrace is in Valley Stream, but is part of the Elmont School District.

Members of the club, which is new to the school this year, not only acted out the script, but also they gave audience members an inside look at what happens behind the scenes.

Club advisers and teachers Karyn Faster and Saundra Campa led the production. They said they decided to take a different approach to the play, thanks to an idea from Principal Shawnée Warfield.

“Mrs. Warfield is so smart,” Faster said. “She thought this would be a great way to introduce younger students to the club by showing them all the different jobs that are needed to put on a production.”

The “Bully Busters” play, which was based on the book, “The Bully Blocker Club,” tells the story of Kayla, a young girl who is being bullied during class and at recess. Ultimately, Kayla and her friends unite as a club to stop the bullying of all students at their school.

Throughout the interactive production, the curtain on the stage was left open so students could see the stage crew moving props to set each scene. Student actors also received directions from the club advisers, who reminded them to project their voices and how and where to stand on stage. Students who created artwork for the play and student-dancers were also highlighted.

The audience even participated in the show. Faster and Campa asked the youngsters questions about bullying and for advice on how Kayla should handle her situation.

“It was really important to not only show the different jobs in a production, but to relay the bullying prevention message,” Warfield said.

Technology also had a role in the production, with club members presenting an electronic playbill they created at the end of the show.