Raleigh Little Theatre will stage the Triangle premiere of Miss Nelson Is Missing, a musical by Joan Cushing based on the popular children’s book by Harry Allard and James Marshall, Nov. 4-20 in its Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre. RLT associate education director Kathleen Rudolph will direct the show.

“Back in April, the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte did a production of Miss Nelson Is Missing and one of my friends was in the show,” Rudolph recalls. “A few of us took a road trip to see the production, which was fabulous.”

She adds, “This musical is based on a very popular children’s book, which makes kids excited about seeing a story they know come to life. The chance to use high-school- and college-aged people to play children is always fun. Some cast members get to play multiple roles, which is a challenge I enjoy.”

When the curtain rises, Kathleen Rudolph says, “At the Horace B. Smedley Elementary School, the students in Room 207 (Clayton Bailey, Katie Bowra, Erin Hanehan and James Miller) are the worst kids that the janitor, Pop Hanson (J. Michael Beech), has ever seen. Miss Nelson (Maura Moore) is an incredibly nice teacher, but has no control over the class.

“One day,” Rudolph says, “Principal Blandsworth (J. Michael Beech) informs the students that they will have a substitute. Viola Swamp (?) arrives and is the meanest substitute teacher in the world. As she whips the kids into shape, they realize how much they miss Miss Nelson, so they decide to enlist the help of Detective McSmogg (J. Michael Beech) to find her.”

In addition to director Kathleen Rudolph, the show’s production team includes choreographer Virginia Queen, musical director Mary Kathryn Walston, technical director Roger Bridges, set designer Rick Young, lighting designer Andy Parks, costume designer Kat Henwood, props master Robin Hughes, sound designer Becca Easley, assistant director Jamie Powell, and stage manager David Watts.

Rudolph says, “When I saw the production in Charlotte, it was done on a proscenium stage, which easily allowed for the left, right, and center to be used for different locations. Putting this story on in the Gaddy Goodwin Theatre, which is a thrust configuration, presents problems, because the stage size is limited and all the different locations take place in the same area.”

She adds, “[Scenic designer] Rick Young has designed the set to resemble the book, and [the set] actually [has] pages that will open and close as we move from scene to scene. [Lighting designer] Andy Parks has used soft colors during the scenes and bright lights during the musical numbers. The lights help to show the mood of the students at various times throughout their ordeal.’”

Kathleen Rudolph says, “[Costume designer] Kat Henwood designed the costumes based on several factors: actual clothing her much-younger brothers wear presently; character ideas she got from the script; [and] clothes she always wanted to wear as a child if she had been given the freedom to dress the way she wanted.”

She adds, “The cast members playing the students are very honest in their portrayal of elementary-school children. Maura Moore is a perfect Miss Nelson and Michael Beech is enjoying the fabulous opportunity to play three incredibly unique characters.”

Raleigh Little Theatre presents Miss Nelson Is Missing Friday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 5-6, 12-13, and 19, at 1 and 5 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 10-11 and 17-18, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 20, at 1 p.m. in RLT’s Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre, 301 Pogue St., Raleigh, North Carolina. $11 ($7 children). 919/821-3111 or click here. Note: All shows are wheelchair accessible, and assistive listening devices are available for all shows. Raleigh Little Theatre: http://www.raleighlittletheatre.org/missnelson.htm. Study Guide: http://www.bartertheatre.com/pdf/missnelson.pdf.

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