Coesse third grader appearing Warsaw's Wagon Wheel Theatre production
By Viv Sade of BuscoVoice
A typical third grade elementary student plans his summer vacation playing sports, going on vacation, hanging with friends and playing video games.
Dustin Barkley, a third grade student from Coesse Elementary School, is that typical student.
But this summer, Barkley has added an addition to his daily schedule. For the last several weeks, he has been hanging out with professional actors at the Wagon Wheel Theatre in Warsaw in preparation for his role as Winthrop Paroo in “The Music Man."
The play runs through July 17 at the Ramada Wagon Wheel Theatre in Warsaw. Tickets are available at the door or go to the Wagon Wheel website.
After Barkley’s successful acting debut in Columbia City High School’s production of Beauty and The Beast this spring where his uncle, Shane Barkley, the show’s director, picked him to play the part of “Chip,” the youngster got the bug to do a little more acting.
His dad, Greg Barkley, saw an ad in a local newpaper for auditions for Wintrop on June 2 and asked him if he wanted to try out. They had already auditioned several kids for the part and were hosting a second round of auditions. Twenty kids walked into the audition – 20 minutes later 18 kids walked out.
Barkley and another boy were still in the audition process. Another twenty minutes went by and the boys walked out. The director told the boys, “Good luck, if you hear from us by Friday – great; if not, have a nice summer.”
Friday came and went with no phone call, so Barkley thought he didn’t get the part.
Speaking to his father that Friday night, while doing the typical kid thing -- playing Wii bowling -- Barkley said he wasn’t disappointed at all and would like to try again sometime.
Greg Barkley took him to his mother, Jo Barkley’s house, the next day and she came running out, very excited and yelling, “He got the part, he got the part!”
The third grader has been busy with rehearsals and performances ever since – from 10-4 pretty much every day including Saturdays.
So get your tickets and support Barkley as he makes his professional theatre debut as Winthrop Paroo in “The Music Man,” featuring great music like, “The Wells Fargo Wagon,” “Seventy Six Trombones” and Winthrop’s song, “Gary, Indiana.”
For more information, call the Wagon Wheel at (574) 267-8041. The theater is located in the Ramada Inn, 2517 East Center Street, Warsaw.
A typical third grade elementary student plans his summer vacation playing sports, going on vacation, hanging with friends and playing video games.
Dustin Barkley, a third grade student from Coesse Elementary School, is that typical student.
But this summer, Barkley has added an addition to his daily schedule. For the last several weeks, he has been hanging out with professional actors at the Wagon Wheel Theatre in Warsaw in preparation for his role as Winthrop Paroo in “The Music Man."
The play runs through July 17 at the Ramada Wagon Wheel Theatre in Warsaw. Tickets are available at the door or go to the Wagon Wheel website.
After Barkley’s successful acting debut in Columbia City High School’s production of Beauty and The Beast this spring where his uncle, Shane Barkley, the show’s director, picked him to play the part of “Chip,” the youngster got the bug to do a little more acting.
His dad, Greg Barkley, saw an ad in a local newpaper for auditions for Wintrop on June 2 and asked him if he wanted to try out. They had already auditioned several kids for the part and were hosting a second round of auditions. Twenty kids walked into the audition – 20 minutes later 18 kids walked out.
Barkley and another boy were still in the audition process. Another twenty minutes went by and the boys walked out. The director told the boys, “Good luck, if you hear from us by Friday – great; if not, have a nice summer.”
Friday came and went with no phone call, so Barkley thought he didn’t get the part.
Speaking to his father that Friday night, while doing the typical kid thing -- playing Wii bowling -- Barkley said he wasn’t disappointed at all and would like to try again sometime.
Greg Barkley took him to his mother, Jo Barkley’s house, the next day and she came running out, very excited and yelling, “He got the part, he got the part!”
The third grader has been busy with rehearsals and performances ever since – from 10-4 pretty much every day including Saturdays.
So get your tickets and support Barkley as he makes his professional theatre debut as Winthrop Paroo in “The Music Man,” featuring great music like, “The Wells Fargo Wagon,” “Seventy Six Trombones” and Winthrop’s song, “Gary, Indiana.”
For more information, call the Wagon Wheel at (574) 267-8041. The theater is located in the Ramada Inn, 2517 East Center Street, Warsaw.