Gas Lamp players learn while they act

GLEN RIDGE, NJ — The Gas Lamp Junior Summer Camp is currently underway with a variety of activities for elementary school children with the highlight being a two-show presentation of the youth edition of “The SpongeBob Musical” at Ridgewood Avenue School.
Originally titled, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, the show opened on Broadway in December, 2017. It had 327 performances and was nominated for 12 Tony Awards.

Co-directing the Gas Lamp Junior show is Heather Ballantyne and Erin Dilly.
Glen Ridge children in the cast include Eliza Florczak, Francesca Peach, Olivia Murphy and Ben Schaper. SpongeBob is played by Liam Langton, of Montclair.

During a recent rehearsal, Liam and Eliza, who plays Patrick Star, SpongeBob’s best friend, talked about what they have learned from acting. The current show is Eliza’s fourth and Liam’s third.

“There are certain things you have to do in the show that you do,” Liam said. “And you see these things outside a show, too.”
Because an actor rehearses emotions and reactions, Liam said acting has taught him how to “fake” behavior better when he is not acting.

“It takes a lot of technique to look at someone straight in the eye and lie,” he said.
But Eliza was more interested in what has made her a better stage performer. She said acting has encouraged her to make up voices. She does this all the time and uses them consistently through a performance. She performed a deep, husky voice.
“Acting has taught me how to get my voice better,” Eliza said, back to her natural voice. “My voice is higher than Patrick’s. But when I do this voice, I sound like him.”

She said ordinarily she is a shy person, but acting has taught her confidence.
“I could never imagine she’s shy,” Liam said. “She is so energetic.”
“Another thing,” Eliza said. “I’ve gotten better at dancing. They’ve taught me more than I’d do myself. When I went home yesterday, I felt more confident.”

Liam agreed. He said his dancing has improved, too.
“When you’re doing a show,” he said, “and people applaud for you, you feel so welcomed because they want you on the stage.”
Dilly said a children’s director looks for a sense of play, honesty and a sense of humor.

“When we first started working on the material, Heather and I weren’t too sure we’d enjoy it,” she said.
Dilly said she had never watched the cartoon “SpongeBob” on TV, but Heather had.

“But working on it,” she continued, “there’s a little social unpinning that is topical. I think audiences will be surprised. And they’ll be introduced to a score with which they are unfamiliar.”
“Even if you don’t know the cartoon,” Ballantyne said, “you can just jump into it. It’s a great summer show.”
“Heather is such a fount,” Dilly said. “She wakes up with 1,000 ideas.”

“What’s great about kids,” Ballantyne said, “is that they never question your judgment.”
“The reality is, the kids tend to be more creative than you.”

Also from Montclair are children Maddie Millon, Owen McManus-Shortt and Katheryne Kelly. Karissa Cetl, from Bloomfield, has also been cast. Rennae Pelayo is the producer; stage manager, Eryka Duckett; costume design is by Kathy Martinez. Information: gaslampplayers.org
The curtain goes up Friday, July 14, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 15, at 1 p.m. An entrance fee will be charged.