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Students rehearse for "Shakespeare Goes to Gravel Gulch," which will be presented by American Fork Junior High School advanced drama students Jan. 11, 12 and 13. Photo by Barbara Christiansen

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Students rehearse for "Shakespeare Goes to Gravel Gulch," which will be presented by American Fork Junior High School advanced drama students Jan. 11, 12 and 13. Photo by Barbara Christiansen

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When the general public thinks of the Bard of Avon, they possibly have an impression of fancy period costumes, stilted and sometimes hard-to-understand language and perhaps even harder to understand English accents.

Not so with the melodrama “Shakespeare Goes to Gravel Gulch or … The Villain Drove a Bard Bargain.”

It is being put on by the advanced drama class at American Fork Junior High School on Jan. 11, 12 and 13. The show starts at 7 p.m., and tickets are $2 at the door. It is in the new auditorium, recently completed at the school, and gives the public an opportunity to see the new facility.

They also will get the chance to interact with the cast members of the play during the production. As a melodrama, it calls for the cast to talk to the audience and they can often react, such as to boo or hiss when the villain appears.

All ages should appreciate the play.

“There are little girls that make fun of the attitudes,” teacher Gayle Hansen said. “People will interact with the teenagers. There is, of course, a lot for adults. It is comedy that everybody can understand.”

And it doesn’t require a degree in English literature.

“You don’t have to know anything about Shakespeare to get it,” she said.

Students produced and directed the play, did their own costumes and designed the set.

“It’s a whole student show,” Hansen said. “For junior high kids, I’m impressed. It’s good.”

“They have been taught — now they do,” she added.

Co-director Cassidy Knecht anticipated a success.

“It is really funny,” she said. “It has got a lot of funny characters in it.” She said the melodrama aspect would appeal to those who attend.

“In most plays, they don’t talk to the audience,” she said. “In this they interact with the audience a lot.”

Co-director Corbin Crabtree told how the show was chosen.

“Some of the ninth-graders read several plays, then we voted,” he said. “This one got the most votes.” He explained the ideas behind the votes. “It will be funny to a lot of people.” “We won’t be bored.” “We would all have fun with it,” were some of the comments they had.

Hansen said the students all accepted it after the selection was made.

Planning started in early September.

Hansen had the students audition for the parts and she chose the cast members. They rehearsed and began creating the sets. After the Christmas break, things picked up and they had rehearsals almost every day after school and every other day in class.

The story line includes a Shakespeare group that is coming into the town of Gravel Gulch, Ariz.

“The person that runs the show troupe is actually a villain,” Hansen said.

“They use Shakespeare as a cover to sneak into the town,” she said.

Cast members include Ashlyn Harris as Abagail Pettigrew, the women who owns the town; Nathan Fitzpatwick as villain Noble Hart; Taylor Hawks as Mayor Gibson; Kyle Koivu as Raspy, Katherine Miller as the Duchess, Madison Versteeg as Sunny Day and Houston Baker as hero Johnny Lasso.

Directors volunteer for the job. Students designed the set and put it together. There are students who do hair and makeup, props, publicity and costumes. The stage crew runs the lights and sound. Hansen meets with the directors and committees, but the students do the work.

“They not only have a part, but are also on one of the committees to put it together,” Hansen said. “What I do is teach them how to do it.”