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Barter’s Jr. Acting Company:
The Child Actors of Barter Theatre Light up the Stage
You expect to see your favorite actors take to the stage and create magic in real life. Even more
magic is created when Barter Theatre’s Jr. Acting Company, the child actors of Barter, perform in
costume under the bright lights to adoring audiences.
Throughout the year, Barter auditions local young actors for roles in Barter productions. Many
children have taken advantage of these
auditions and have gone on to perform in several roles at Barter as well as other venues. These
students work very hard, not only missing school due to matinee performances but also staying up
late for
rehearsals. In 2006, seven children – Alexandra Eleas, Maria Masters, Sydney Gounaris, Gabriel
Gounaris, Hunter E. Wilson, Catie Lott and Rachel Boyd – were either actors or understudies for
Barter
productions.
Alexandra Eleas, age 9, starred as Young Anne and Minnie Mae Barry in the fall 2006 production
of Green Gables, her fourth role at Barter. Alexandra’s favorite role was as Gladys Herdman in the
2005 production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by The Barter Players because “Gladys is so
outrageous and so different from the real me.” Alexandra’s mother, Suzanne, considers her
daughter’s association with Barter to be one of Alexandra’s greatest experiences.
Siblings Gabriel, age 11, and Sydney, age 7, Gounaris starred in the recent hit It’s a Wonderful
Life. Their mother, Leila, noticed that Gabriel had some stage fright when he was younger and
enrolled him in an acting class. Gabriel enjoyed it, and his younger sister Sydney thought it was
fun also, so they auditioned at Barter for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Leila says she is in awe of
each and every show, even if it is a little difficult being a chauffer to and from the theatre.
Other Barter young actors have a bit of a different perspective because they have grown up
around the theatre. Harry Land, 14, is the son of Tere Land, Barter’s Education and Tour
Coordinator. Harry has had roles in Peter and the Wolf, Gypsy!, A Modern Christmas Carol and The
Best Christmas Pageant Ever. In Tere’s former position as Director of the Education Wing, she ran
workshops and summer camps at Barter. Harry and his older
brother, Mitchell, were the first to sign up. Harry loved the camps,
especially one on stage fighting. Tere and her husband Bob enjoy seeing their sons on stage
because they are “devoting themselves to something
that takes hard work,” and at the same time, “they enjoy themselves.”
Two children who have literally known theatre their entire lives are Mary Owens Davidson
and Rachel Sabo-Hedges. Mary, age 6, the daughter of former Barter resident actors Melissa
Owens and Derek Davidson, wanted to become involved in theatre to be around her mom. Melissa
started Mary’s participation with Gigi. Melissa says it was fun watching her daughter
create an inner life for her character. Mary has many memories of “seeing Daddy do his funny
falling down in Singing in the Rain,” and hearing her mom sing in performances, but her favorite
times are seeing her mom and other actresses “in all their different costumes and playing with
makeup in the dressing room.”
Rachel Sabo-Hedges, age 7, daughter of current resident actor John Hedges and former
resident actor Karen Sabo, has also followed her parents’ lead and been involved in acting at Barter
in both The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and Gigi. Her favorite memory of Barter is sitting under the
umbrella in the role of Little Girl in Gigi. Rachel says she enjoys having parents who are actors, and
her father John said he encouraged Rachel to act because “I know how it has enriched my life.”
Child actors gain great experience, have a blast working with professional actors and become
stars in their own right.
A few roles for children are available this year at Barter. For more information, contact Associate
Artistic Director Katy Brown, or watch for audition updates on our website
http://www.bartertheatre.com/about/news.html or in your local newspapers.