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Youngsters Play Three Generations

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By SARAH ROTHWELL

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 21, 2008

TEMPLE TERRACE - When Masque Community Theatre member Ruth Kegel attended a Sickles High School production of the play "Eleemosynary," she was instantly impressed.

"I forgot I was watching high school kids put on a play," she said. "The actresses completely transformed themselves into their characters. It was so real. I was amazed by their talent."

When Kegel learned that the students involved with "Eleemosynary" were given only one night to perform the show at school, she suggested they bring the production to Masque. Actresses Christine Rodriguez, 18, Camille Trzcinski, 18, and Karen Thorla, 17, and director Adwin Brown, 18, were flattered by Kegel's suggestion.

"Eleemosynary" opens Friday at Masque. The play, written by Lee Blessing, tells the story of a grandmother, daughter and granddaughter's dysfunctional but loving relationship. Trzcinski raided her grandmother's closet for costumes to play 75-year-old Dorothea. Thorla dug deep into her emotions to play Dorothea's estranged daughter, Artie, and Rodriguez re-examined the effects of childhood to play Echo, a 16-year-old raised by her grandmother.

"The play is complex and emotional," Trzcinski said. "Artie abandoned Echo as a baby and left her with Dorothea. When Dorothea's dying, Artie reunites with Echo and the characters flash back to different times in their lives that made them who they are."

Trzcinski and her three classmates, all of whom are longtime friends, began working on the play in March. It started as a project for the Sickles Thespian Club. The students handled every aspect of the production, from set to design to advertising. They rehearsed nights at Sickles without teachers or parents to keep them on task.

Brown took his director's role seriously.

"We'd have a five-minute break, and then he'd say, 'Come on, let's get back to work,'" Trzcinski said. "He was really dedicated to the show. His script has writing all over it."

Brown wasn't shy about correcting the actresses' mistakes.

"It's good that we are all friends because I didn't have to sugarcoat things," he said. "We're all serious about theater."

Brown, Trzcinski and Rodriguez will attend Florida State University's theater program in fall. They intend to pursue acting careers. Thorla has the same goal but will have to wait another year before heading off to college. She is a Sickles junior.

"My dream is to go to UCLA and be in their musical theater program," she said. "I love to sing and dance."

Brown wants to work in theater and in films. He considers himself a natural comedian, along the lines of Will Smith. His friends admire his confidence but tease him about it anyway.

"His MySpace says: 'I'm Funny. You might not think so, but I do,'" Trzcinski said with a laugh. "He is funny, though."

Brown said audiences can expect to experience a variety of emotions while watching "Eleemosynary."

"The play is funny, and it's touching," he said.

Thorla believes people will see little pieces of themselves in the characters.

"The play mirrors things about real life," Thorla said. "It's happy, and it's sad. Everyone can relate to it in some way."

The cast is excited to bring the show to Masque.

"After the show was over at school, we said we just wished we could do it again, and now we get to," Brown said.
Kegel hopes the play will attract a crowd outside the Sickles family.

"It's amazing the talent these kids have," she said. "This is a wonderful show. I want everyone to see it."

IF YOU GO

WHAT: "Eleemosynary"

WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday

WHERE: Masque Community Theatre, 8825 N. 56{+t}{+h} St.

HOW MUCH: Admission is $14 for ages 13 to 54; $12 for ages 55 and older, students with ID and members of the military; and $10 for ages 12 and younger.

INFORMATION: Call (813) 980-3321 or go to www.masquetheatre.net

Sarah Rothwell can be reached at srothwell@tampatrib.com or (813) 865-4845.

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