It could snow another foot and a half, and we would still be suffering from a drought. The dry spell is hardly weather-related, but speaks to the slump in cultural events.
It’s a quiet time of year in Telluride, and the entertainment calendar is considerably condensed. In regional schools, however, the show’s just getting going.

On Monday, the Telluride Repertory Theatre Company’s ACTions School Tour presents its first performance of “The Secret of the Story” to Durango elementary school students.

“It’s an amazing tour,” says Sasha Cucciniello, director and writer. “I came from New York City where you’re completely saturated with arts and culture, and here we’re just trying to bring a taste of theater to kids who don’t get it that often.”

Monday’s show is the first of 17 and will visit 15 different schools around the region. The play targets elementary students, kindergarten through fourth-grade, but is appropriate for all ages.

“Some of the schools, like Rico, are small, and some are bigger, like 500 kids in Durango,” says Cucciniello. “It’s sometimes deafening — the screams and applause we get from the kids at each performance — and it makes us feel like we really communicate to them on their level.”

Cucciniello directs this year’s tour. She also wrote the play, an original script, in collaboration with the actors, Tom Shane, Bubba Lee Schill and Shaun Greager.

The three-person cast is charismatic and eager to entertain kids. Preparation for the upcoming performances included three weeks of rehearsals. Amid performances on the road, the troupe will also conduct theater workshops geared toward young actors.
A performer in last year’s tour, Cucciniello credits each performance as an uplifting experience for both the students and actors.

“It’s the best audience I’ve ever performed for in my entire life,” she said.  “They’re appreciative and open and they’re excited to get a break from school to see people come in and perform.”

The performance also spreads a positive message. “The Secret of the Story” is about the power of imagination, and encourages kids to keep life exciting through imagination.

The play starts, however, with an opposite scenario of two kids stifling their inner, imaginative potential.

“It opens up with two friends playing video games, drinking soda and eating junk food — just totally immersed in technology,” says Cucciniello. “Another friend comes over and tries to get them to go outside and enjoy the beautiful day.”

The two friends ignore the plea to play outside until a freak storm — we can all relate —causes a power outage.

That’s where the story takes a turn. The three friends discover a book and when one of the characters gets lost inside the book, the other two must dive in and find their friend.
The search takes them to new and exciting places like dinosaur world, a pirate ship and a haunted house.

“Whatever they imagine they go there,” says Cucciniello. “It shows the power of being sucked in — whether it’s technology or your own imagination.”

The story culminates with the three friends becoming rock stars, and playing together as a band, a semi-reality since they have a band but never practice.

“Bubba wrote this amazing song about using your imagination,” says Cucciniello of the finale. “It’s about taking a break from technology, putting down your cell phone and discovering all of the other things out there.”

The play sends a clear message, but also serves as a form of fun entertainment for kids.

The Tour’s been around since 1992, and in 2006 reached over 5,000 students and adults. This year’s tour hits up schools in Durango, Ignacio, Dolores, Norwood,  Naturita, Rico, Cortez, Silverton, Ridgway, Ouray Gypsum, Marble, Crawford, Cedaredge. There will also be two Telluride performances. The first is on April 22 at the Wilkinson Public Library at 4 p.m. The second takes place at the Palm Theatre on April 30, 1:30 p.m.

The ACTions School Tour is supported by a grant from the Colorado Council on the Arts. Cucciniello also credits local support.

“It is truly a community effort,” she says. “I have amazing people helping with the set, Pip’s [is] donating costume rentals and rehearsal space is provided in the community room.”

Mountain Limo donated a van, enabling the actors to travel to the schools for performances. Stacey Boggan provided the set design and Neil Lewis and Molly Badger worked on the set painting and construction

The performance schedule is tight from Monday’s opening to the closing show on May 2. There are two showings slated for some days, but the energy is high and the focus is on fun.

“It’s a group of guys hopping in a van to perform children’s theatre around Colorado,” says Cucciniello. “That’s a pretty cool thing.”