King Max expresses his frustration.

On Friday, June 26, The Renaissance School Summer Academy staged a performance of Where the Wild Things Are at The Renaissance School’s performance space at Shelburne Commons.  The performance was the culmination of a full week of play rehearsal, song and dance rehearsals, set construction, costume and prop design and hard work.  The campers, ages six through ten, worked four and half full days to make the show come to life.  The drama camp was one of three camps happening that week at the Academy, and was highly anticipated after last year’s Go Seuss! camp’s success.  

The mermaids and the mermettes greet Max as he sails to the Island of the Wild Things.

Based on the Maurice Sendak book of the same name, Where the Wild Things Are follows Max from his home, where he feels unappreciated and uncared for by his family, to his bedroom and to the land of the Wild Things.  There he becomes King of the Wild Things until he misses his home and returns to a warm welcome from his mother and sister as well as a hot dinner.   This production of Where the Wild Things Are also featured six song and dance routines to rock and roll songs—It’s My Party, The Trees, Stop In The Name of Love, Nowhere Man, Wild Things, Let’s Go Crazy and Home Sweet Home.  The campers were enthusiastic and confident in their performance and put on a show that drew much laughter and applause from the audience.  

The talking trees on the Island of the Wild Things.

The camp was taught by Kelly Becker and Caroline Unger, both teachers at The Renaissance School.  Becker and Unger worked together to coordinate all the elements of the show, with Becker focusing on the drama component and Unger taking care of the “backstage” and art component of the show.  A fun time was had by all!  

The Mini Monsters begin their wild rumpus.

Max delivers some bad news to Goat.

Goat declares Max wild enough to be King of the Wild Things to the other monsters of the Island.

The monsters join in the wild rumpus.

The monsters watch Max during the wild rumpus.

Max listens to the sage advice of the sea monster as he returns from the Island of the Wild Things.

Max returns home to his sister and her friends, who express their love and appreciation for Max.