Boots on the Ground Theater, the company founded by Bonnie Grice in 2018, has announced both a new play and a new initiative. The latter, Gen C Creative, is about developing plays that bring young actors together with experienced adult performers, in order to gain acting experience and enhance their skills.
The rubber will meet the road starting tomorrow with a two-week engagement at the Southampton Cultural Center of “The Railway Children,” Edith Nesbit’s 1905 children’s book, originally serialized in The London Magazine and subsequently adapted six times, including four television series, a feature film, and a made-for-TV film.
The children of the title are Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis, whose lives are upended when their father is falsely accused of espionage and imprisoned. Forced to move from their London home to a modest cottage in the countryside, they try to adapt to their new life with their mother.
The children befriend the railway workers and passengers, particularly an older man who travels daily on the train. Through various adventures, they display courage, kindness, and resourcefulness. Their good deeds and unwavering belief in their father’s innocence eventually lead to his release and the family’s reunion.
In a review of the story from 2012, The Guardian said, “A simple story about the lives of three children living near the railway tracks cannot be told in a better way than this. It has the power to move even the hardest heart. Edith Nesbit has surely brought the liveliness through words as if it were a real story.”
Directed by Josephine Teresi-Wallace and adapted for the stage by Mike Kenny, the production stars Zoe Richardson as Roberta, Ollie Dianora-Brondal as Peter, and Claire Chmielewski as Phyllis.
Zoe is a sophomore writing major at Pratt Institute who has appeared in two previous Boots on the Ground productions. She has participated in a two-week summer course at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.
Ollie is 12 years old, lives in Sag Harbor, and is making his theater debut in this production. His many interests include stop-motion animation, video editing, 3-D design, weaving, wood carving, photography, and drawing.
“The Railway Children” is also a theatrical debut for Claire, who is a fourth grader at the Bridgehampton School. She has previously danced in “The Nutcracker” and counts among her favorite activities reading and playing Fortnite.
The cast is rounded out by Ms. Grice, Geoffrey Milton, Richard Gardini, Gerri Wilson, JoAnna Mincarelli, Robert Nelson, Deyo Trowbridge, and Mbachi Kumwenda.
The Railroad Museum of Long Island will have a model train show featuring 18 tables of trains in the cultural center’s gallery from tomorrow through Sunday.
Performances will happen Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m., and Sundays at 3, through March 23. Tickets are $28.22 for adults, including fees, and $17.82 for students 18 and under.
Ticket holders can receive a 15 percent discount off food items for lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch at the Southampton Publick House, exclusive of beverage, tax, and gratuity.
