Kids in ALEXANDER answer some tough questions

By Mithra Ballesteros
First Stage Children's Theater

We thought it would be interesting to ask our young performers about some of the things that bothered Alexander in our production of ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY.  Here are some of the responses from both the Koala and the Kangaroo casts:

1. Which is worse, going to the dentist, the doctor, or the principal?

Dentists have a bad rap. Our young performers are in almost unanimous agreement that nothing is worse than going to the principal's office.

2. Similar to Alexander’s gum in his hair, describe something gross that happened to you.

"Once, I was eating chocolate in bed. I must have been really tired, because I fell asleep! When I woke up, I found a big, messy puddle of chocolate on the bedspread! After that, I didn’t eat in bed!"

"One of my teammates threw up on my shoe in basketball in 4th grade!"

"My friend's teeth went into my head on a bounce house."

"My dog licked my tongue."

"I drank rotten milk."

"Once, I was jumping on a cushion and my gum popped out and got into my hair.  We got it out with peanut butter." 

3.  Do you ever argue with your siblings?
The majority of young performers have siblings and often, they find it is most difficult to get along with a sibling who is close to them in age.  The older the sibling gets, the easier he or she is to deal with!  Also, interestingly, if the sibling's name starts with a consonant, they are more likely to be a pain. 

4. What is your favorite breakfast cereal?
No surprise that the sugary cereals won accolades.  Here are the preferred brands, along with their sugar content per cup:

Cocoa Krispies (14 grams of sugar per cup)
Cocoa Pebbles (13 grams)
Cinnamon Toast Crunch (10 grams)
Special K with Berries (10 grams)
Cocoa Puffs (14 grams)
Life (6 grams)
Froot Loops (12 grams)
Apple Jacks (12 grams)
Corn Pops (12 grams)
Trix (13 grams)
Cheerios (1 gram)
Honey Nut Cheerios (9 grams)

For more information on sugar content in breakfast cereals, go here:
http://www.communityhealth.dhhs.state.nc.us/dental/ed_resources/Sugar_In_Cereal.pdf

5. Favorite shoes ever?

6. Describe your most favorite bedtime wear ever.
Footed pajamas reign supreme.  Also, fleecy materials with patterns of bunnies, polar bears, spaceships, or gerbils are highly valued.

7. Favorite lunchbag treat:
Apparently, everyone wants a cookie.  Little Debbie, Oreos, and Chips Ahoy are gobbled up.  I am not going to depress our readers further by including those sugar contents too.  One healthy child prefers Sunny D but everyone else wants dessert.

8. Advice to someone who has been dumped by a good friend:

"I have been dumped by a friend. But when you think about it, someone who would “dump” you isn’t really your friend. I really tried to put it behind me and realize that I had better friends than that person. But if it happens to you- don’t be mean to the person! You don’t have to be best friends, but you don’t have to be enemies, either."

Photos of Koala and Kangaroo casts of ALEXANDER by Michael Warren