When the curtain rises on the Portland Center Stage production of “A Christmas Story,” Clark County residents might recognize a few familiar faces. Youth performers Calvin Whitney, Hannah Wilson, Aimee and Henry Martin and Aliemah Bradley have all been cast in the professional production, which runs Nov. 21 through Dec. 26 at the Gerding Theater at the Armory in Portland’s Pearl District (http://www.pcs.org).
The show is a stage adaptation of the beloved 1983 movie about a little boy named Ralphie who wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.
Calvin, an 11-year-old from Battle Ground who’s in sixth-grade at CAM Middle School, watches the movie — his uncle’s favorite — with his family each Christmas. He’s set to play Scut Farkus, the bully, and is also the understudy for Ralphie. That means memorizing two parts, but Calvin is up for the challenge.
“I think it’s a good opportunity (to stretch) because I’ve never been a bully before,” he said. “In the movie, (Farkus) has a few funny lines. It’s just really cool.”
Hannah, who plays Esther Jane Alberry, Ralphie’s love interest, is returning to Portland Center Stage for the second time. The 12-year-old seventh-grader from Felida is mostly home-schooled but takes some classes at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. She also appeared in “Ragtime” last fall. Additionally, she’s in the children’s chorus of the Portland Opera’s fall production, which also features Prairie High School freshman Therese Bock.
Hannah is especially excited about her “Christmas Story” role because Aimee, who plays Esther Jane’s best friend, is her real-life best friend.
“We’re practically like sisters, and I think this will make us even closer,” Hannah said. “It’s awesome.”
“It will help us with chemistry a lot,” said Aimee, 13, an eighth-grader at Alki Middle School.
Aimee and her brother, 10-year-old Henry, were in the cast of Portland Center Stage’s “A Christmas Carol” last year. This year, Henry is part of the ensemble. He’s also an understudy for Randy and Schwartz.
Rehearsals for “A Christmas Story” start just two days after Henry concludes his run as Alexander in Northwest Children’s Theater and School’s production of “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.”
“I’m excited to go back (to Portland Center Stage) and have fun,” said Henry, a fifth-grader at Salmon Creek Elementary School. “It’s a great movie for all ages, and I think it will be even better as a play.”
The Martin siblings know Hannah and Calvin through Christian Youth Theater. They’ve all been in community theater shows before.
But for Aliemah, an 11-year-old from Vancouver, this is new territory.
Aliemah, who’s in the sixth grade at Self Enhancement Inc. Academy in Portland, has only done school productions before, so this is a big step.
“I’m very encouraged by my first time (auditioning) getting a part,” she said.
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