Generations of readers have grown up reading Beverly Cleary’s “Ramona Quimby”. Now the elementary school protagonist is coming to the Warsaw Community High School Performing Arts Center. “Ramona Quimby” will hit the stage Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. To purchase a ticket, call the box office at 574-371-5040. Visa and Mastercard are accepted. No refunds or exchanges. Jennifer Shepherd, WCHS assistant principal, said the show is done by Two Beans Production, and presented by Theatre Works USA. “It’s a musical version of the popular book,” Shepherd said. “It talks about how hard it is to grow up.” All Warsaw elementary school students in third through fifth grade will see the show during the day Dec. 1. In the evenings, students can come back and see it again with their siblings, parents or the whole family. Tickets will be available at the PAC the night of the show. “The actors always come out after the show and meet the kids. The show keeps the kids engaged and there’s some humor for the adults,” Shepherd said. Each elementary school teacher will receive a study guide for the show so they can talk to the students about the characters and book so the kids will have a frame of reference when they see “Ramona Quimby”. According to a copy of the study guide, Cleary, who was born in 1916, got the idea to write children’s book when she was just a child herself. As she struggled with reading in school, Cleary found many books for young readers were boring and predictable. “I wanted to read funny stories about the sort of children I knew, and I decided that someday when I grew up I would write them,” Cleary recalled. Her love of books led her to study to become a children’s librarian, a position she held in Yakima, Wash., before achieving success as a children’s author. Cleary’s first publication was “Henry Huggins” in 1950, the first of many books about the children that live on Klickitat Street, including Beezus and her younger sister, Ramona. Cleary now has more than 30 books under her belt. Her books appear on virtually every list of “recommended reading” for children. Among other awards, Cleary’s “Ramona” series has been recognized with Newbery Honors for “Ramona and Her Father” (1978) and “Ramona Quimby, Age 8” (1981). The play, “Ramona Quimby”, according to the study guide, brings to life stories from several of Cleary’s books, including “Ramona the Pest”, “Ramona and Her Father” and “Ramona Forever”. As Ramona is faced with problems beyond her control, she learns that although her life is not perfect, it is full of people that care about her. And that is great. Teachers Credit Union is the local sponsor of “Ramona Quimby”. “Our local TCU has been wonderful,” Shepherd said, “not only with the arts, but with teacher activities and the whole school corporation. TCU has really come through a lot for schools.” The Theatre Works USA official website is at www.theatreworksusa.org/ The unofficial Beverly Cleary homepage, recommended by the study guide, is available online at http://www.teleport.com/~krp/cleary.html
