Taking center stage

Alisha Peats' mother doesn't mind her acting in amateur productions, but warns that actors can be vain and can get corrupted. Alisha's father, a junior high school language arts teacher, thinks it's fine that she loves acting but tells her the odds are stacked against her making it a career.

She still wants to go to Hollywood.

"They get a little bit tense when I talk about the acting business," 13-year-old Alisha says.

She is one of many teenage and younger performers that are the backbone of tonight's second annual "Starcatchers Revue" to be presented at the Jackson Knights of Columbus Hall. Proceeds will go to the Starcatchers Community Theatre Building Fund. Jackson's community theater, in its second year of existence, is raising money to find itself a permanent home.

Peats accounts for two of the 26 acts in the revue: A monologue about the tragedy of being 11 years old and a jazz dance solo titled, "She Ain't Your Ordinary Girl." She ain't.

Only 5 feet tall and 98 pounds, Peats played a mute in Starcatchers production of "The Fantasticks" last summer. This time she is anything but silent as she pours out the strong feelings in the monologue.

That is part of what she likes about acting. "It's fun to express emotions you normally can't express," she says.

Other acts in the revue include dancers, gymnastics, singers and comedians. Mike Craig will emcee. Jackson police and fire department representatives will present the colors before the show starts, and veterans will be honored at the end.

Decked out in formal attire, Justin Vandergriff and Majhon Phillips are featured in the revue's major number, a romantic, nearly-15-minute-long vocal montage taken from the movie "Moulin Rouge."

Amanda Whaley, Christine Sturms, Barbara Gillard and Rachel Sprandel are a whirl of energy and talent in the tap dance "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

More excitement is summoned by 11-year-old Johnny Porzelt, who belts out Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" in a keyboard-lapelled suit and switches to faded denim to sing and strut Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," accompanied on "air guitar" by Doug Froemsdorf.

One act, Elvis and the Pink Cadillacs, is coming all the way from Piedmont, Mo.

Some seasoned performers are sprinkled among the young and inexperienced. They include singer -songwriters Julie Walker and Ryan Harper, both of whom have recorded CDs. Another veteran is Dolly Dambach, who rouses the crowd with a feather-boaed rendition of "When You're Good to Mama."

Also appearing in the show are Juli Penny, Laci Thorne, Bruce Marrs, Scott McQuay, Rachel Kahle, Rachel Warner, Joe Floyd, Lauren Froemsdorf, Matt Lynn, Lucas Montgomery, Zach Priester, Zach McCullough, Richard McAllister, Melissa Jennings, Caitlin Burress, Kayla Foster, Christy Elliot, Becky Koeller, Kristi Ewens and Barbara Macke.

Aleda Phillips, the production's director, says the Jackson community has pulled together not only to stage the show -- 70 people are involved -- but in supporting it through sponsorships. She predicts the building fund will have enough in two years.

"We want a theater so bad," Phillips said.

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182