Aquinas Academy’s Middle School performs ‘Around the World in 80 Days’

Mark Brown’s “Around the World in 80 Days,” based on book of the same name by Jules Verne, returned to the Aquinas Academy stage during the evenings of April 1 and 2.

It had been seven years since the middle school students had last performed the play at Aquinas, located in Hampton. All four leads were eighth-grade students: Luke Crawford (Phleas Fogg), Elliot Keverline (Passepartout), Sarah Rhodes (Detective Fix) and Francesca Hite (Aouda).

Director Mike Flynn said he was excited to once again be working with the full cast of middle school students.

“For the past two years, covid had restricted our ability to do a play with a large cast. This year, we were able to have a cast of 62 students, and their performances were outstanding,” he said.

“It was exciting to see our sixth- and seventh-grade students singing and dancing in the chorus numbers. The students had incredible energy this year and gave the audiences two remarkably polished performances.”

Flynn had help from both students and teachers. The students included Christopher Glatz (sound board); Sam VanVickle (lights); Jack Hoerster, Kian Miller and Ian Patterson (stage crew); Felicity Koble (accompanist and program cover design; Joe Chufo, Ashlin Knox and Claire McMann (choreography); Julia Meland (costumes assistant); and Veronica Mylott (makeup).

Teachers who assisted were Sharon Burchill and Mrs. Mary Heagy (choral teachers), Brady Buchanan (set construction, Rachel Neikirk (set construction assistant) and Rosemary Meland (costumes).

The play marks Flynn’s 35th drama production at Aquinas Academy.