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From left, Adams County Christian School’s Robert Franks, 14, Morgan King, 13, and Lizzie Fife, 10 rehearse “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Lizzie Fife,10, rehearses “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” Wednesday at Adams County Christian School. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Adams County Christian School senior Baleigh Rayborn, 17,practices with the schools new drama club in How the Grinch Stole Christmas Wednesday at the school. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Adams County Christian School students read over their lines during practice for the play How the Grinch Stole Christmas at the school’s new drama club. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Adams County Christian School students socializes before drama club practice Wednesday in Natchez. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Morgan King, 13, reads over her lines before practice with the school’s new drama club Wednesday at Adams County Christian School. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Claire Williams, 12, peaks above the steps to listen to the drama club instructor Brianna Brumfield, during play practice. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — When Brianna Brumfield and Malori Giannari suggested that Adams County Christian School begin a drama club, they hoped students would be interested.

They did not expect approximately 100 students to sign up for try-outs for their first play, “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.”

Though there are only 17 main speaking parts, Giannari, the high school secretary and Brumfield, a new teacher said something exists in the play every interested child.

Dylan Brocato, the eighth grader who will play Whoville’s mayor in the December production, said he enjoyed drama club because he does not play many sports.

“Not everybody is athletic,” Brocato said. “But there’s something I can get involved with and help the school in a dramatic way. I just love it.”

Brumfield said she and Giannari picked the students who most embodied their characters, like the youngest member of the group, Lizzie Fife, who will play one of the primary roles.

“We picked Lizzie because we felt she could relate to Cindy Lou Who so much,” Giannari said. “She’s young but mature like her character.”

Memorizing lines — especially some of the tongue-twisters found in the stories of Dr. Seuss — is particularly challenging, said Fife, who is in fifth grade.

Fife said she has had particular trouble with the word superfluous

“I cannot get that!” she said. “It’s spelled like super–fluous.”

Fife said the club has allowed her to make friends she otherwise may never have.

“Most of the time the elementary students don’t get to interact with high school students,” she said.  “With this, you get to see both sides.”

The drama club is comprised of many ages — from fifth graders to seniors — and is not contained in the traditional Grinch narrative.

“There’s a lot of diversity,” Giannari said. “We have a rap scene with one of our students who will impersonate Snoop Dogg … the very next thing may be Jingle Bells or Silent Night.”

Giannari and Brumfield said they wanted to exhibit the variety of talent among their students. To do so, they expanded the play to include dancing, singing and small skits.

Music for the play will be provided by Adams County Christian School band students, too, Brumfield said.

Right now, the club is focused on rehearsals and raising enough money to make props and buy sound equipment for the gym.

Giannari said students are purchasing their own costumes right now but that she hopes in future years the school will be able to lend costumes to student actors.

“These kids are so brave. It was very unexpected how encouraging our club has been,” Giannari said. “There’s no snickering, no snark. They should be commended for that.”

Brumfield said she hopes to put on another production in the spring and though the play hasn’t been chosen yet, they’re leaning toward “High School Musical.”

“We’d love to see it grow,” she said. “Seeing how excited these kids are about it — it’s going to teach them skills they’ll take even to college.”

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