Dean Poling | The Valdosta Daily TimesRumpelstiltskin (played by Maddie Corbin) reveals the gold to Freya (Aubree Small) in Valdosta Middle School Players' 'Rumpelstiltskin: The True Hero.'

VALDOSTA — Toni Jarvis is seeing double.

Don’t worry. The Valdosta Middle School Players director is used to it.

For years, she has directed two casts to perform one show. Double casts allow more students to get stage time in Valdosta Middle School shows, she said.

“Rumpelstiltskin,” the seventh-grade show, for example, has Cast A performing Tuesday and Cast B performing Thursday at the old Valdosta High School Performing Arts Center.

But Jarvis doesn’t just rehearse two separate casts in the same grade for the same show. She does it repeatedly.

Earlier this month, two sixth-grade casts presented “Adventures of Fairy Tales.” Next week, Jarvis’ eighth-grade class performs a version of “Aladdin.”

For “Rumpelstiltskin,” the VMS Players present a different version of the well-known tale with the title character cast as the maligned hero rather than the villainous, turn straw into gold and take the firstborn bad guy, Jarvis said.

Ricky Johnson, a longtime VMS supporter, built the spinning wheel for “Rumpelstiltskin.”

While busy, Jarvis said she relies on several supporters for help as well as 17 years of experience teaching theatre at Valdosta Middle School. Experience that has taught her how to call two casts of seventh graders to attention for the start of rehearsal.

She calls out Those who can hear my voice clap once. Clap: A bit of applause comes from backstage. Those who can hear my voice clap twice. Clap clap: More applause from backstage while some students appear on stage. Those who can hear my voice clap three times. Clap clap clap: More applause; more students appear on stage. Those who can hear my voice clap four times. Clap clap clap clap: Loud applause; numerous students move on to the stage.

Let’s take it from the top, Jarvis said.

 

CAST A: Pauletta K. Bivens, Ada A. Brown, Zion A. Coon, Maddie Corbin, Zaharia A. Davis, To’Neya Denson, Morganna Donathan, Harmoni Z. Duncan, Rihanna Evans, Hannah Griggs, Loughren Haden, Ty’Asia N. Herring, Madelyn A. James, Joseph D. Keeler, Kaylan Matchett, Maggie Matheny, Dynasti Moore, Taylor Nelson, Amelia Nutting, Jayla Rayford, Rin’Niya L. Robinson, Tamir Salvador, Breanna M. Samples, Aubree Small, Lina E. Trostle-Carrasco, Sydney Uptgraft, Royce Varney, Arieanna Washington, Makalah Williams, Nasiya Williams.

CAST B: Sidney Barfield, Sarah Beth Barham, Kennedy Barrett, Edward Bell, Myriah M. Bennett, Jacob L. Campbell, Zytiana Dailey, Savannahlyn Davis, Arianna Denson, Breyonna Denson, Faraji Denson, Jayla Durham, Destiney Durr, Anaiya M. Greene, Jayden Gunter, Ella Herring, Alaya Hill, Savyneeliz Huertas, Jazlynn Jones, JaKalyn Z. King, Christopher A. Lister, Jacayla N. Mathis, Kyla E. Mclain, Neeya M. Mills, Mickeala L. Mittelstadt, Karina F. Morales, Katie Raabe, Karlos R. Ratcliff, Te’onna Sherman, Tristen A. Steward, Nicholas Touchton, Kinleigh Vickers.

 

Valdosta Middle School Players present “Rumpelstiltskin.”

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, Oct. 22, 24.

Where: Old Valdosta High School Performing Arts Center, 3101 N. Forrest St.

Ticket: $5.