The Connection

A magical adventure in a distant land awaits all those who visit “The Hollow.” That’s the name of the original musical being presented this Friday, July 20, by the performing-arts camp, Summer SMASH-UP (Stage, Music, Acting, Singing Hamming it-UP).

This free show is at 2 p.m. at Centreville Baptist Church, 15100 Lee Highway (Route 29/Pleasant Valley Road intersection) in Centreville. The actors are from several schools, including Virginia Run, Cub Run and Bull Run elementaries; Rocky Run and Stone middle schools; and Westfield High.

The camp directors and play producers/creators are professional actor Toby Chieffo-Reidway and Virginia Run music teacher Jeremiah Tyler. And both say their show is fun and exciting and will appeal to all ages.

“Four school-aged friends are called upon by a mysterious stranger to save a troubled kingdom far from home,” said Toby Chieffo-Reidway. “Along the way, they’ll discover that, even in the fantasy lands they thought they knew, nothing is ever only what it seems to be. There’s always more beneath the surface if they open themselves to the power of friendship and are willing to be the heroes that others see them as.”

The main characters — Mouse, Cal, Sky and Soren, the heroes — are each “ordinary” schoolchildren struggling between who they think the world wants them to be and who they really are, at their most vulnerable. They’re not yet close friends, but they’ll be thrust together because of their affection for “The Hollow,” a series of fantasy stories they’ve all been reading since they were young.

Stone seventh-grader Justin Pokrant portrays Mouse, an empathetic, generous and compassionate soul who doesn’t always react well to real-world pressures. He’s more comfortable living vicariously in the fantasy worlds of “The Hollow.” He imagines himself as a hero of these far-off lands; however, he doesn’t yet realize his capacity to be a hero of his own, real-life story.

Playing Cal is Carys Davenport, 13, of Maryland. Cal is smart and insightful, but she gets flustered when thrust into high-pressure situations where everyone’s watching. Taking a little longer to get to the right answer makes Cal worried that others are looking down at her, so it’s difficult for Cal to make the most of her gifts.

Sky is portrayed by Florida teen Zach Vielbig. Charming and affable, Sky is quick with a joke or a smile to break the tension. But behind that funny façade, Sky worries that he doesn’t have much to offer, so he protects his feelings by not taking things too seriously. His impulsiveness can sometimes get him into trouble, but his friends can always count on his good heart.

Westfield sophomore Rachel Neal plays Soren. Because she’s being raised by a single parent, Soren places a high premium on loyalty and family. She’s extremely dedicated, yet afraid the losses in her life will continue piling up with more abandonment — and she has a hard time believing they’re not her fault.

But things change dramatically for the heroes when they’re invited to a special meeting with “The Hollow’s” author, Zeb, portrayed by Rocky Run eighth-grader Kyle Roup. Zeb tells them the Hollow isn’t just a fantasy world in books, but is actually real. He then recruits them for a special quest. Once the friends are committed to the journey, it becomes clear that things with Zeb are far different from what they seem.

Along the way, the heroes encounter The Hollow’s residents, a mix of humans and animals struggling under the yoke of a tyrannical queen. Enthralled with these visitors, they begin to feel hope for the first time in a long while. The heroes also meet others who, like themselves, are trying to find their way in a world that refuses to understand them the way they are.

This is the theater camp’s third year, and participants learn a variety of music and theater skills, including scene study, set and costume design, plus choreography. The camp also emphasizes teamwork, creativity, respect and fun.

“It’s a passion of ours to foster innovative, music and theater opportunities for kids in our area,” said Chieffo-Reidway, who also offers an afterschool, acting, improvisation and script-writing class at Virginia Run. “We strive to write material that’s uplifting and helps the campers find parts of themselves they didn’t know were there.”

“In my experience, theater and music are essential gateways to personal growth for students this age,” she continued. “Nothing makes us happier than hearing from a parent whose child has grown in confidence or found a new passion as a result of participating in our program.”

Additionally, Tyler’s pleased to see students from different musical backgrounds embracing the challenge of “learning music they’ve never heard before and performing it in a way that not only meets our expectations, but also exceeds their own. As a music teacher and composer, it’s rewarding and humbling to watch and listen as the children bring music that I created to life. It’s encouraging to us as performers and professionals to see the campers embodying our vision; it’s truly a dream come true.”