[Robert Louis Stevenson sketch at right]

So it's JAY BRIDGEMAN filling the pre-teen shoes of TREASURE ISLAND's Jim Hawkins. I've enjoyed Jay in my Advanced Drama class since the beginning of the year. I love his offbeat sense of humor--always respectful--and respect his skills as an actor. I'm concerned that he will seem too old for Jim, but that's why we have rehearsals (and costumes!). I want people to leave the play having believed that Jay was much younger than he actually is.

TOMMY GREER as Long John Silver. A terrific role to walk away from high school having played. Long John is not your average, blood-and-guts pirate. He's complicated...you're drawn to him and repelled. That's hard to do, but Tommy has proven again and again that he has the chops for "big boy" roles. He's going to be terrific.

MICHAEL REALMUTO as Doctor Livesay. Michael is one the very best actors at J.L. Mann. He's subtle, thoughtful, totally believable...not to mention an amazingly creative visual artist. We're lucky to have him (and his talented sister Casey, who will be in the light/sound booth during the show).

SEBASTIAN GRIER as Squire Trelawney. Thank you, Sebastian...for coming in at the very last minute and stealing a prize part in the play. This was the toughest part in the play to cast. You made it easy.

TORY LECLAIR as Captain Smollett. I'm just going to have to shut up about Tory, OK? How many of you don't know that she's my favorite actor...ever. Well, one of them. Seriously though, Tory is the kind of actor Drama teachers hope for every year.

MS. TURZA (our lone J.L. Mann staff member in the show) as Billy Bones. Allison...you had us at "gnawed on their bones."

KNOX WHITE as Supervisor Dance and Ben Gunn. Leave the comic relief to the professionals, I always say. Anyone who saw Knox's callback reading of Gunn knows that it will be a highlight of the show.

Oh, Silver's rough and ready pirate gang--NICOLE SCHMIDT as Tom Morgan, TIMOTHY ALBRITTON, KEVIN GILLESPIE as Harry George Martin, CASEY WILSON as Ben Thompson, SID HALTIWANGER as Dick Jones, JOHN AWADALLA as Job Anderson, and SHANNON LUTTRELL as Israel Hands...they're going to scare the crap out of small children and little old ladies.

Look, I'm excited about everyone in our cast--six freshmen, by the way. Can't wait for the first read-through Saturday morning at ten. We're a long way from the kind of show I want us to create, but...we're off to a great start!