Concordia Students to Present Plum Creek Children's Show

Part of the Plum’s Creek children’s festival this year will be a children's show-directed by a Concordia student, for the attendees of the festival.  

This year, the director is Elizabeth Ascher, a junior from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. “It’s been so much fun to bring this story to life with my peers! The Plum Creek Children’s play was suspended during COVID, so it's been exciting to bring the play back to the Concordia community. I’ve loved working with the actors and I’m thankful for all their hard work.” 

This year’s play will be an adaptation of Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen. After witnessing a burglary at the Heavenly Hotel, Samy Keyes is on a mission to stop the Hotel Thief. With the help of her best friend, Marissa, Sammy navigates solving a crime and starting junior high all at the same time.  

The actors in the play feel connected to it for a variety of reasons. For some, it's nostalgia. Ellie Clausing, a senior from Seward, Nebraska, acting as Marissa, is looking forward to bringing to life a book she read as a child. Clausing recalls that, “The Sammy Keyes book series was one of my favorites as a kid. Sammy was someone I wished I had as a best friend. Now in the one act, I am fittingly playing Sammy's best friend!” 

Sarah Stepp, a freshman from Lincoln, Nebraska, who is playing the lead for this musical has connected to the role of Sammy in a different way. Stepp states, "What really connected me to Sammy was how she isn’t perfect. Sammy is stubborn, reckless and a hot-headed, but she also is clever and compassionate. I truly enjoy playing Sammy, because I get to portray those two sides of her.” 
 
Cast & Crew  
Director - Elizabeth Ascher 
Stage Manager - Julie Oetting, junior, Belividere, Ill. 
Sammy Keyes - Sarah Stepp 
Marissa - Ellie Clausing 
Grams - Marieka Kaufman, freshman, Milwaukie, Ore. 
Gina - Claire Horacek, freshman, Papillion, Neb. 
Officer Borsch - Harley Storie, junior, Valley Park, Mo.  
Officer Jacobson - Rachel Behrens, freshman, Omaha, Neb.
Oscar - Owen Anson, sophomore, Staplehurst, Neb.  
Hudson - Aiden Jenik, freshman, Colorado Springs, Colo. 
Heather - Emily Loseke, junior, Leigh, Neb.  
Mrs. Caan - Kristen Welling, sophomore, Atkinson, Neb.  

The Plum Creek children’s festival will take place this Friday, October 6th. There will be four showings throughout the day for festival attendees, and a showing at 7pm for the public. The play will be performed in the black box theatre at Concordia’s new music building.  

Interested in more of the Plum Creek activities this weekend? Learn more here.