Arts
WCMS Musical Theatre Troupe Enchants Audience with “A Little Bit of Magic”
We were under the spell of their amazing talents!
If you were anywhere else in the world and not inside the Warren County Middle School gym last Friday evening (May 30), you missed out on a historic event in our community.
Under the directorial helm of Nichole Gibbs and Cherita Smith, the WCMS Musical Theatre 8th period class stepped into the spotlight and performed A Little Bit of Magic in front of their families, Warren County Schools staff, and community theatre enthusiasts.
A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC, a stage production written by Gail Golden centers around “Do-Nothing Dale, a little picked-upon wizard, who wants to know what her little bit of magic is. On her journey to find out, she meets people like the laughing Coco the Clown and the singing Marilyn Melody, and she finds that she’s just as special as everyone else in the world.” (Source)
The magical night kicked off with a preshow featuring monologues from students, Lilly Byrd, Zha’niya Clark, and Elijah Pettus.
Nichole Gibbs, WCMS Theatre Arts teacher, prepped the audience for what would turn out to be an engaging and interactive event by breaking down Theatre Production 101 and what it takes to run a show by soliciting responses from the knowledgeable audience. Little did they know that, later in the evening, they, too, would be joining the actors on stage.
Overall, the show was amazing! There was singing. There was dancing. And best of all, we were so honored to witness these young talents at work. And with any good story, there was a lesson in the end: We all have that “something” that makes us special.
Who knows? Today, we’re applauding them in a school gymnasium. Tomorrow, it could be Broadway, and we can say we remember them when they got their start in Warren County.
Tickets for the show were $7, or $10 if one wanted to make a special shout-out.
Proceeds from the event helped cover costs for scripts, royalties, and security. Their future goal is to provide a starter fund for future WCMS Theatre Productions in order to produce shows on a larger scale.
If you’re interested in becoming a community partner or volunteer, contact Nichole Gibbs at ngibbs@warrenk12nc.org.
A Little Bit of Magic was presented by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Service, Inc., Denver, Colorado.
Preshow Feature Monologues/Scenes
Lilly Byrd, Zha’niya Clark, and Elijah Pettus
Cast of Characters (By Order of Appearance)
Player One – Keymoni Fuller
Player Two – Madison Aycock
Player Three – A’shayla Hawkins
Jonathan Primiano, Jr.
Pianist – Caleb Hargrove
Wonder Wanda – Ameerah Steed
Magnificent Mervin – Elijah Harris
Do-Nothing Dale – Amaris Yancey
Marilyn Melody – Serenity Henderson
Coco the Clown – Kira Cunningham
Depressed Daisy – Veronica Stewart
Flowers – Players and Audience
The Weatherman – Zyier Belcher
Kalabash Turnbull
Princess Patricia – Arely Gandarilla
Ensemble
WCMS Musical Theatre 8th period class and The Audience
Production Staff
Artistic Director – Nichole Gibbs
Musical Director – Cherita Smith
Choreography – Nichole Gibbs, Kayla Smith
Stage Manager, Lights, Ensemble – Jimmy Thorpe, Jr.
Sound – Kira Cunningham, Nichole Gibbs
Costume, Props, and Set – Nichole Gibbs and Cast
Publicity – Pioneer Drama, Jimmy Thorpe, Jr. and Production Stff
Production Assistance – Kayla Smith, Ayaina Blake, Kierra Townes
Box Office – Robin Closs and WCMS Staff
Arts
Paint with a Purpose: Artist Seeks Volunteers for Soul City Mural
Adults and families are invited to sign up to help paint the new mural at the Magnolia Ernest Recreation Center in Soul City.
Artist Max Dowdle will begin installation of the new mural on the Magnolia Ernest Recreation center pool building in Soul City on June 2nd. He is inviting community members of all ages to join him in the painting process. Individuals or families can participate for a one-hour shift between 3:00pm – 5:00pm on June 2nd through June 4th.
The new mural is part of the Legacy NC Mural Project by Dowdle, NC Main Street, and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. The project aims to create a mural in each of North Carolina’s 100 counties that highlight the unique history and legacy of each county while creating a unifying thread that ties all of North Carolina’s counties together through art.
Dowdle worked with a committee of Soul City residents, community leaders, and members of the Warren County arts community to create proposed designs. These designs were then presented to the community and voted on. The winning design can be seen below (this design is still subject to minor changes from Dowdle).
Contact Hannah Jones at hannahjones@warrencountync.gov or (252) 257-3115 to sign up. To accommodate space, each shift will have no more than 10 people. No experience is necessary!
The Magnolia Ernest Recreation Park is located at 252 Duke Drive, Norlina, NC off Soul City Boulevard.
Learn more about Max Dowdle and to view his work, visit NCPublicArt.com.
For more information about the Legacy NC Mural Project, visit https://www.ncmainstreetandplanning.com/blog/categories/legacy-nc-100-murals-100-counties.
RELATED: Warren County Residents to Vote on New Mural Design for Soul City
Arts
Eastern Bluebird Mural Celebrated with Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper proclaimed Warrenton, NC as the National Eastern Bluebird Capital.
Joined by the Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Warrenton, and mural artist Tom Lang, residents and friends from afar celebrated the new Eastern Bluebird Mural with a ribbon-cutting ceremony during the Eastern Bluebird Festival on Saturday, April 26th in downtown Warrenton.
Ahead of last year’s festival, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper proclaimed Warrenton, NC as the National Eastern Bluebird Capital because the town has the highest concentration of them.
Arts
Warren County Residents to Vote on New Mural Design for Soul City
Voting opens soon on the mural design for Magnolia Ernest Recreation Center.
Warren County Government is inviting residents to help shape a new public art piece by voting for their favorite mural design.
The poll opens this Friday, April 4, during the Statewide Star Party and will determine the artwork that will adorn the Magnolia Ernest Recreation Center pool building. The mural will celebrate the history and legacy of Soul City, a pioneering planned community founded in the 1970s with a vision of Black empowerment and economic opportunity.
Residents can cast their votes online via the Warren County Government Facebook page or website, as well as in person at the Statewide Star Party on April 4 or at the Warren County Memorial Library. Voting will close on April 14, with the winning design announced via Facebook Live on April 17.
The mural is part of artist Max Dowdle’s Legacy NC project, an initiative aiming to create public murals in all 100 North Carolina counties. Each mural highlights local history and unsung heroes, weaving a visual narrative that connects communities across the state. The two designs up for consideration were developed through collaboration between Dowdle, a committee of Soul City residents and community leaders, and members of the Warren County arts community.
Beyond selecting the design, residents will have the unique opportunity to contribute to the mural’s creation. Community members are invited to take part in the painting process, further embedding local pride and participation into the project.
The Warren County Facebook page and website will soon have details on how to sign up for the painting experience.
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