Spring-Ford’s annual fall plays are among the most cherished community events the school has to offer. This year Spring-Ford Theater returned to debut their latest production, “The Velveteen Rabbit,” a timeless classic from the early 1920s.

“The Velveteen Rabbit” follows the chronicles of a man named Steve who recants his childhood when he was four-year-old with his favorite toy, a velveteen rabbit who ponders over the idea of becoming real. Throughout the play, Steve and the Velveteen Rabbit rediscover their self-worth, and they travel through a wise journey of love, acceptance, loss, and friendship.

The stellar cast stars Gabe Peck as Older Steve, Killian Griffin as Younger Steve, Karina Sharma as the Velveteen Rabbit, Allison Personius as The Rocking Horse, Maddy Sterner as The Boat, Dylan Clark as The Train, Nanditha Paila as Bella, Anna White as The Fairy, and Omari Romu, Kyla Graham, and Elise Graff as the Wild Rabbits. The play was also Spring-Ford Theater’s directorial debut of Kailey Edwards.

This show was exceptionally heartwarming to see and perfectly suitable for younger audiences. The cast gave a phenomenal performance and reenacted their characters who were several years younger than them. This play’s rendition and resolution of “The Velveteen Rabbit” was remarkably delightful to watch and experience as compared to the original story’s plot.

“I thought that the play was pretty good, and the acting was impressive for a group of teenagers,” said junior Elena Paredes. “They pulled off the whole aesthetic of the story. My favorite part of the play was the outfits.”

Aside from the production itself, the stage crew and scenic members did a marvelous job crafting and painting a beautiful scenery on the stage’s triple-sided set with colorful illustrations and art from the children’s book.

“It was a pretty tiring process, especially for the actors and crew,” reveals Dylan Clark who plays the Train. “But, overall, it was really fun to be in, and I’m proud of the finished product.”

The cast, crew, and directors successfully captured and embodied a jovial spirit from a tale whose original writings convey a dark and dismal theme. These individuals deserve a round of applause for their commitment and dedication to this wonderful and authentic piece of art.