‘Charlotte’s Web’ is one of the world’s best loved children’s stories or friendship and sacrifice. Published in 1952, the novel tells the story of a pig named Wilbur and his friendship with a barn spider named Charlotte. When Wilbur is in danger of being slaughtered by the farmer, Charlotte writes messages praising Wilbur (such as “Some Pig”) in her web in order to persuade the farmer to let him live.
As time passes, more engravings appear on Charlotte’s webs, increasing his uniqueness. Wilbur ends up entered in the county fair, accompanied by Charlotte and the rat Templeton, whom she has joined forces with in order to gather inspiration for her messages. While at the fair, Charlotte spins an egg sac containing her unborn offspring, and Wilbur, despite winning no prizes, is later celebrated by the fair’s staff and visitors (thus made too prestigious alive, to justify killing him). Exhausted apparently by laying eggs, Charlotte remains at the fair and dies shortly after Wilbur’s departure. Having returned to Zuckerman’s farm, Wilbur guards Charlotte’s egg sac, and is saddened further when the new spiders depart shortly after hatching, leaving behind their three smallest. Pleased at finding new friends, Wilbur names the spiderlings Joy, Nellie, and Aranea, and the book concludes mentioning that more generations of spiders kept him company in subsequent years.
On March 17th, 18th and 19th, the Performing Arts class at Chestermere Lake Middle School presented their rendition of this classic. The cast consisted of Eagan Cairns, Carter Dale, Stephanie Demeules, Keely Evanoff, Bretton Evans, Tennessee Hayes, Kyle Mercier, Angus Serfontein, Nichole Storvold, Rody Visotski, Emilie Young and Trey Zimmerman. Under the direction of CLMS teacher Tracey Bowes, these extremely talented students had been working on this production since almost the beginning of the school year.
Bowes said, “10 years ago, I was looking for a show to do with my students that would touch their hearts and Charlotte’s Web was a natural fit. I always knew I wanted to re-visit this script to see what else could be explored and created. When I received permission to teach Performing Arts 8/9 as an exploratory class (instead of as an extracurricular club), I knew this play should be the one for our “maiden voyage”. The students lived the process of creating a show from first insights to concept to production. We hope our interpretation of “Charlotte’s Web” with the overlying theme of “Opposites Attract” was enjoyed by all”.
