Sparta teens star in Pinkalicious

SPARTA — Many recognize the need for art education in local communities but there are few children who have the opportunity to see and participate in theater productions in their area.

The Growing Stage — The Children's Theatre of New Jersey, a non-profit organization based at the Historic Palace Theatre in Netcong, is taking the time to help young people throughout the area learn about the dramatic arts and their spring production is no exception.

The upcoming production of Pinkalicious, a musical based on the popular children's book, will feature two young actresses from Sparta, 10 year old Julia Dykstra and 16 year old Alana Claffey.

The Growing Stage's audience development director, Danny Campos, explained how the theater utilizes and teaches its young thespians.

"All of our main stage productions have professional equity actors and locals working alongside one another," he said. "All of the main roles are filled by the professionals and the young people fill out in this case the cupcake ensemble. They play dancing cupcakes and butterflies and birds."

While many members of the younger cast are involved in a production for the first time, Claffey is something of a veteran.

"I have done a few other shows. I was in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Peter Pan here," she said. "I was also recently in A Christmas Carol at Sparta High School."

Claffey decided to get involved in this production after hearing about it from an unlikely source.

"I wasn't familiar with the book or anything," she explained. "Then at school one of my teachers came up to me and said 'I heard that Pinkalicious was going up at the theater.' After that I went and read it and decided to join it."

She is quick to point out the encouragement that she receives from her loved ones.

"My parents support me in everything I do," Claffey said. "They support me to pursue the things that I like and they like to come out to the show to see it and see me."

Claffey encourages people to come out and see the show. She said that she even learned something from working on it.

"You have to find a balance," she said. "There is such a thing as too much of a good thing."

The yearly schedule of shows is selected by the organization's founder, Stephen Fredericks, and Pinkalicious is no exception, which Campos says will be fun for everyone.

"It really is a great show for the entire family," he said. "Even with 'pink' in the title boys should consider it. It is a night out for the family in a theater that caters to the young audiences."