By Anna Guido
Enquirer contributor

Six-grader Annie Gaburo (sitting) plays Willie in the play The Castaways Wednesday at Terrace Park Elementary, as she and the rest of the sixth-grade class practice. Photos by ERNEST COLEMAN/The Cincinnati Enquirer

TERRACE PARK - A play about homeless children has hit home at Terrace Park Elementary.

At Saturday's performance, the sixth-grade class will collect nonperishable foods and personal care items for admission to their musical production, The Castaways.

"It must be really rough being a homeless person," said 12-year-old Blake Fletcher at Wednesday's dress rehearsal. "It's sort of hard to imagine, because we're so lucky."

Blake plays an orphan in the play, which is set in modern times with flashbacks to the early 1900s.

Terrace Park Elementary - enrollment 337 - is a pre-K-6 Mariemont city school of "upper middle class to affluent" students, said acting principal Bob Denny.

"It's going to be a great play, and the message is appropriate," Denny said. "I'm sure Saturday evening at 7 o'clock, we'll have a full house."

IF YOU GO

What: The Castaways When: 7 p.m. Saturday Where: Terrace Park Elementary, 723 Elm St. Benefit: InterParish Ministry, Newtown Information: (513) 272-7700 (school phone)

Items collected Saturday will be donated to InterParish Ministry in Newtown, which helps about 350 individuals monthly with food and personal care items, service coordinator Sarah Cadle said.

Cadle visited Terrace Park Elementary last week and talked with student performers about homelessness and "food insecurity" - not knowing where your next meal is going to come from.

She told students to consider what they like to eat when donating. "A lot of times, what people donate to food pantries is stuff they don't want," Cadle said.

The Terrace Park Elementary PTO sponsors the sixth-grade play. Parent LouAnn Mauk is in charge of this year's production.

"Rather than being just a big, fun musical, it has some meaning to it," Mauk said.

Mauk hired Lisa Keeling of Symmes Township to serve as play director. Keeling works with school music and drama departments in Greater Cincinnati.

This is her second time to direct The Castaways, but it's the first time proceeds will benefit the needy.

"Kids love to perform and drama helps to boost their self-esteem," Keeling said. "Helping somebody else gives them even more reason to feel good about themselves."

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