By Melissa Moore-Randall
Under the Direction of Marisa Sharpiro and Michael Silvia, the Rumney Marsh Academy Drama Club recently performed Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The world of eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka came to life with students from the RMA Drama Club performing the popular and childhood favorite of many generations. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a 1964 children’s novel by British author Roald Dahl featuring the adventures of young Charlie Bucket inside the chocolate factory of chocolatier Willy Wonka.
The cast included RMA Drama Club students Sebastian Angel, Jewelia Roeum, Sara El Bzyouy, Sarah Jones, Gabby D’Intinosanto, Milani Plaza, Brayden Scibilia, Brianna Bedoya, Kayla Men, Toni Gigliello, Alessandra Mejia, Noor Ashour, Dakota Hernandez, Estrella Gaspar Torres, Quan Vo, Janai Ruiz Yol, Milly Contreras, Dav Johnson, Brianna Bedoya, Melinda Rizzo & Jeannette Rizzo
Marisa Shapiro, a 6th year teacher at RMA was so excited about the growth of the Drama Club. “When Nicholas Raponi and I started this club three years ago, I don’t think I ever expected our club to grow as quickly as it has! I am so proud of everything our students have achieved this year, and I am especially proud of the 8th graders who have been with us since this club started in their 6th grade year. Seeing them grow and mature over the past three years has been an honor and a privilege. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory reminds us to find the joy and whimsy in the normal, to hope and dream and strive for a better world, and to be the best people we can be. These are values I hope our students take and implement in their own lives even after this show is over. This is especially important in today’s world. Our students are going to face an ever-changing geopolitical landscape and an unknown economic environment as they grow up into the amazing adults I know they are going to be, and I hope they take these values with them into their adult lives so they can help make the world a little kinder than it is right now.”
Michael Silvia, a first year teacher at RMA, was honored to be part of his first drama club production. “We are the music makers, we are the dreamers of dreams.” Truer words could not be said about this group of budding thespians and artists. Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Michael Silvia. I am a first year teacher at Rumney Marsh Academy, and it has been an absolute honor and a privilege to get to work with such an amazing group of talented students. I remember back to the beginning of the year when Ms. Shapiro and I selected Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, being extremely excited to have this story be the first story I get to tell with this amazing group of young creators. On the day of the show reveal to the club, I remember that excitement growing even larger because of the excitement of the kids. The story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for me has always been a show about dreams and imagination, so being able to work with such amazing talent has been a dream come true. The story is full of wonder, hope, and not least of all imagination. I hope that you all will take away the pure message of generosity and kindness towards others.”
The Drama Club was very thankful to the community including generous donations from the Revere Fine Arts Department, the RMA Student Activities Fund, the RMAy PTO, and incredibly generous donors to Donors Choose. The Donors Choose campaign helped purchase microphones and the canvas drop cloth that the RMA Arts Club. Under the leadership of Katie Carlotto (their fabulous 8th grade art teacher), they turned the stage into a beautiful backdrop of Mr. Wonka’s chocolate factory. They also thanked everyone who contributed to the Donor’s Choice campaign: Noelle MacDonald, The family of Kayla Men, Christopher Porrazzo, Camryn O’Brien, Carol Tye (former Revere School Committee member), Colin Perry, and an anonymous family “that cares about Boston.”
