First Stage Presents Jerry Spinelli’s ‘Star Girl’

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Paul Ruffolo

First Stage celebrates individualism with its latest show. The intricate Y York adaptation of Jerry Spinelli’s Stargirl thoughtfully comes to life under the direction of John Maclay. The story involves a homeschooled girl attending high school for the first time. Video screens featuring announcements from the fictitious high school greet the audience on their way to their seats. It’s a cleverly immersive stratagem that characterizes First Stage and Maclay’s attention to detail. As an audience, we are all new to the school the same as Stargirl. We can all relate to the main character as she attempts to navigate through a landscape of strangers.  

The high school presented here is a bewildering place with a colorful variety of students who all have their own dreams and motivations. The production vividly renders life in a modern high school with an ingenious sense of economy. Costuming, sets, sound and lighting slide efficiently into place with a graceful flourish. First Stage has done an excellent job of populating the class with students from its Theater Academy. The students at the high school are present on stage as portrayed by young actors in two different alternating casts. Alison Pogorelc is charmingly sophisticated in her performance as Stargirl in the “Seguaro Cast.” The character’s quirkiness is kind of a challenge to bring to the stage. The character’s weirdness could easily overpower the genuine emotional core of which Pogorelc seems to have a very thoughtful and heartfelt understanding. She’s so charming that it’s over all too early. If the ending feels at all weak it’s because Pogorelc and company have done such a good job of making the characters enjoyable.

Through Feb. 15 at the Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater, 929 N. Water St. For tickets, call 414-267-2961 or visit firststage.org.