Jana Ryan (center, in the role of Mom) attempts to squash squabbling between her children, Aburi Hartman (left, in the role of Emily), and Gage Torres (right, in the role of Tom), during the Sunday afternoon Wolf Creek Players production of “Monster in the Closet.” PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

It’s been over a year since the Union Middle School stage was graced with a performance by Wolf Creek Players but the wait was certainly worth it as the cast of last weekend’s “Monster in the Closet” – dominated by a record number of young performers – lit up the venue with enthusiasm and vivacity.

“This is the largest group of kids we’ve ever had,” director Deb Kloster told the Sunday afternoon audience prior to the curtain rising on Act 1 of the community theatre’s fall production.

“We’ve had a few deer-in-the-headlights moments [during the previous three performances] … but the kids kept going!”

This season’s cast was comprised of 18 individuals from across the communities of Dysart, Traer, and La Porte City. Fifteen were of elementary, middle school, or high school age including two of the leads,

Along with 10 other youth performers in the cast, Dickerson and Hartman were making their Wolf Creek Players’ debut.

Brayden Ryan (right, in the role of Dream King) listens to Garrett Ryan (left, in the role of Toady, the King’s secretary) after being captured and tied up during the Sunday matinee performance of “Monster in the Closet” by Wolf Creek Players. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

The play – written by Angela D. Stewart and produced by Pioneer Drama Service of Colorado – centers on a monster in a closet named Murray (played by Jeremy Hartman, a counselor at D-G Elementary) and the difficulties that arise when the child whose room he lives in (Emily played by Aburi Hartman) and her best friend (Stephanie played by Dickerson) discover his existence and decide to capture him.

One of the more memorable dynamics of the performance took place between Aburi Hartman and her character’s mother – played by veteran performer Jana Ryan – and brother – played by Union fourth-grader Gage Torres. The trio’s scenes together elicited multiple rounds of laughter from the audience as did the duo of Union sophomore Brayden Ryan in the role of the Dream King and Union fifth grader Garrett Ryan in the role of Toady, the Dream King’s secretary.

Garrett Ryan’s acting – which featured understated humor and subdued responses to the Dream King’s arrogance – was particularly entertaining.

Sunday’s matinee was the final of four performances for the youth-heavy cast which also performed Friday and Saturday.

“I thought it was funny,” an 11-year-old audience member said following the performance. “The monsters and the way the actors acted was really funny. The kid actors worked hard on it, I could tell. My favorite character was Stephanie. [Abigail Dickerson] remembered her script well and she was one of the main characters.”

Elias Mutter (left) and Gage Torres (right) perform a scene together during Wolf Creek Players’ Sunday afternoon performance of “Monster in the Closet” on the Union Middle School stage in Dysart. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

A six-year-old audience member also sang the cast’s praises following the performance: “I thought it was good! The monster was funny and he was like, ‘Please don’t banish me!’ … I like the character of Emily the best. [Aburi Hartman as Emily] did a good job [acting] with the brother [Gage Torres].”

The full cast included Abigail Dickerson (sixth grader), Presley Dumas (Union fourth grader), Aburi Hartman (Union sixth grader), Jeremy Hartman (veteran actor, teacher counselor), Otis Hartman (Union second grader), Sandi Hulst (veteran actor, activity coordinator at Sunrise Hill), Mia Michael (Union sixth grader), Elias Mutter (Union fourth grader), Audrey Pearson (Union fifth grader), Ainsley Reese (Union fifth grader), Liam Richards (Union fifth grader), Brayden Ryan (Union sophomore), Garrett Ryan (Union fifth grader), Jana Ryan (veteran actor, realtor), Natalie Schmidt (Union fifth grader), Addison Taylor (North Tama fourth grader), Houston Taylor (North Tama third grader), and Gage Torres (Union fourth grader).

For information regarding future Wolf Creek Players productions including read-through/audition announcements, follow the community theatre’s Facebook page.

Jana Ryan (in the role of Sandy the Sandman) blows glittery dust toward the audience as several student cast members feign sleep in the background during the Sunday afternoon Wolf Creek Players’ production of “Monster in the Closet.” Ryan also took on the role of Mom during the performance. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

Houston Taylor (left) and Addison Taylor (right) perform a scene together as dream weavers Chris and Jamie, respectively, while fellow cast member Abigail Dickerson (below) feigns sleep as part of the Wolf Creek Players’ production of “Monster in the Closet” on Nov. 13. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

The Dream King (top, played by Brayden Ryan) looks down from his thrown as Murray the monster (second from right, played by Jeremy Hartman) pleads his case during the Wolf Creek Players’ Nov. 13 production of “A Monster in the Closet.” Garrett Ryan (left, in the role of Toady) and Sandi Hulst (right, n the role of Wanda) listen. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

Student cast members including (l-r) Elias Mutter, Gage Torres, Aburi Hartman, Audrey Pearson, Abigail Dickerson, Natalie Schmidt, Presely Dumas (hidden left), and Ainsley Reese (hidden right) perform together during the second half of Wolf Creek Players’ Sunday afternoon performance of “Monster in the Closet” on the Union Middle School stage in Dysart. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

Student cast members including (l-r) Presley Dumas, Aburi Hartman, Audrey Pearson, and Abigail Dickerson creep up on Garret Ryan (left) and Brayden Ryan (right) – in the roles of Toady and Dream King, respectively – this past Sunday afternoon in Dysart as part of the Wolf Creek Players’ fall production of “Monster in the Closet.” PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

Wolf Creek Players including (clockwise from top left) Sandi Hulst, Jeremy Hart- man, Brayden Ryan, and Garrett Ryan perform a scene together from “Monster in the Closet” last Sunday afternoon on the Union Middle School stage in Dysart. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON