Medford High to put on ‘Freckleface Strawberry’ this weekend

Medford High School students are thinking back to when they were children in an attempt to to channel their inner kid for the upcoming spring musical “Freckleface Strawberry,” in which all play 7-year-olds. 

The musical is based on a bestselling children’s book series by actress Julianne Moore. The story centers around 7-year-old Freckleface Strawberry, who is teased by her classmates for having red hair and freckles. She feels different and tries to get rid of her freckles by scrubbing them with soap, putting on makeup and even wearing a mask to school. 

Director Shelley Fitzgerald started directing for the school’s fall play in 2006 and took over the spring musical three years ago, after the previous director decided to move on. 

“When I was looking last year for this year’s show, it just caught my eye. I listened to the music, fell in love with it and thought it would fit the talent that I have here,” she said. “It is the music that really has to grab me, and this one did. It is just fun music and it has a variety of genres in it. I knew it would appeal to my teenagers here and it did immediately; they all love it.” 

Fitzgerald added that she likes the story’s message. 

“The main theme that runs through this is about how to just be yourself and who you are. It talks about how everyone is different in some way, and so in our differences we are actually all the same,” she said. 

This year there are 26 students involved in the production, most in grades 9-12. Fitzgerald had to get a few younger students involved as well. There are one eighth-grader, one sixth-grader and four fifth-graders. 

The students started rehearsing for the production at the beginning of January and have been practicing Monday through Friday, with each rehearsal being 2-2½ hours. 

This show is different because the students play young children, Fitzgerald said. 

“The teenagers are all playing 7-year-old kids, and so they are having to kind of think back and remember when they were a child. Even the voices that they use when they are singing and speaking are more kid-like,” she said.

IF YOU GO

What:
Performances of “Freckleface Strawberry.”

When:
7 p.m. Friday, March 27; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 28; and 7 p.m. Sunday, March 29.

Where:
Medford High School.

Tickets:
Can be purchased before the performance at the district office from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., or at the door.