Saxony Lutheran High School brings laughter to stage with 'Bedtime Stories'

Saxony Lutheran High School is set to entertain audiences with its upcoming dinner theater production, "Bedtime Stories (As Told by Our Dad) (Who Messed Them Up)" by Ed Monk.

High school students will perform the comedic play from Friday, Nov. 22, to Sunday, Nov. 24, in the school's auditorium. The event combines a meal with the performances, offering attendees a unique and fun experience.

The play features a father who struggles to recount classic bedtime stories to his children, resulting in a series of comedic twists on "The Princess and the Pea", "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" and "Rumpelstiltskin".

Director Tammy Petzold said she chose the play for its lighthearted nature, contrasting with the school's previous production, which tackled heavier themes.

“I like to pick short comedies. I think it works well with dinner, and when I saw the title of this one, I had to peruse it and read it. I have three children, and when they were little, we'd go to grandma's house and their dad would make up stories for them. When I saw the title, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh’. That's actually why I gravitated toward this comedy. Then when I start reading through it, if I'm literally laughing out loud, that's usually the play that I choose,” Petzold said.

When she was in high school, Petzold said she did a play where she and others had to dress as children, and she still has the terry cloth onesies she wore. Saying that play is such a fond memory to her she hopes the students will get the same experience.

The production features around 20 students, all dressed in pajamas to portray the young characters in the play. Petzold said the enthusiasm and comedic timing of the students is what really brings the script to life and ensures a fun experience for both performers and the audience.

“They're all in their PJs, and so they're kiddish-looking PJs. They're hilarious and the script is written that way. It's written as if little kids were saying it, so it's just hilarious,” she said.

Along with the students enjoying how the script is written, they are adding in their own individual ideas, which Petzold said makes the play even more ridiculous, and they are running with it.

Petzold, who has been directing at Saxony Lutheran since 2005, said there is an importance of performances in providing students with a creative outlet and building confidence. She said many students have discovered a hidden talent through participation in theater and others have told her drama helped them not be so nervous in helping land a job.

Petzold cannot pinpoint a specific part of the play she is most excited for the audience to see saying each scene is just as hilarious as the one before it.

The dinner theater event is already sold out for Friday night, but tickets are still available for the Saturday and Sunday performances. There are no mature themes and all are welcome to attend. Tickets are priced at $20, which includes dinner.