By Chris Nafekh, Staff Writer

Published in print Mar. 25, 2015

As Kody Hopkins walked on stage, his presence captured the audience. From his first slapstick stumble, children in the front row giggled.
In the Taylor Theater sat parents and their kids, all of whom anticipated the classic fable of “Pinocchio” brought to life by theatre students. What they saw was a unique rendition of the original story by Carlo Collodi as adapted for stage by Greg Banks.
The cast quickly brought their characters to life with vigorous charisma, much the same way magic brought the wooden boy Pinocchio to life.
Through the story, the wood puppet faces conflicts many kids confront in their youth. In the face of greed he lumbers about debating walking home or doubling his money. The choice of school versus boyish antics lands Pinocchio in Playland, a place of tree climbing, mudslinging and constant entertainment, which represents endless indulgence. His choices give him in world of trouble and one shot at redemption.
By the end, when the puppets father is exhausted and in need of help, Pinocchio learns that love for his papa, hard work and schooling alone will save Gepetto. It will also give Pinocchio what he wants most, to be a real boy.
This rendition is based on the premise of five painters retelling the tall tale. Each actor brought to life multiple characters while working together for clever sound effects and theatrics. There were no backstage effects, only costumes and props, all of which were part of the set on stage. Every cast member brought a unique element of creative innocence to the play.
For the past month, Hopkins and the rest of the cast have toured “Pinocchio” at public schools performing for children of all ages. This weekend, they brought their show home to UNC-Greensboro. The play has brought fun and laughter to many around the triad, and the cast have had a ball performing for children.
“What impresses me the most,” said Hopkins, “is how willing they are to go with you… The crowd erupts immediately, no matter how shy or quiet they may be.”
Running through the aisles and speaking to the kids, the cast made sure the children
felt included. Often they would ask the audience a questions and receive a loud yes or no, and the occasional sarcasm from an older boy.
“They don’t get distracted, they don’t look at their phone.” Hopkins commented, “If you invite them, they’re with you.”
“It’s the interactions with the kids,” said Savannah Bruffey, who played the lead role.
“There’s no wall, whatever they want to say or do, they just say it. And they have no fears, saying or doing anything during the show.”
Bruffey’s energetic and joyful acting brought an exciting originality to the stage, captivating the smiling kids in the front rows.
“I tried to focus on the original story. I knew if I tried to do Disney I would not be successful at all,” she laughed.
This play showed impressive diversity from the cast, all of whom played from two to five characters. Hopkins, who played both the greedy showman and Pinocchio’s voice of reason, seemed to be in constant motion, changing his wardrobe to fit the part and narrate simultaneously. Cameron Newton skillfully played the kind, lovable old carpenter Gepetto and the sly scoundrel Fox. Director James Fisher made a notable effort to keep the choreography clear and distinct.
“Jim was awesome,” said Bruffey. “He wanted it to be very crisp and clean from the beginning. We worked slowly through the process of making sure everything was precise and detail oriented. We focused on smaller parts because we knew of those weren’t clear, the whole production wouldn’t be clear.”
“That’s one of the most important things we worked on,” commented Hopkins. “Every character has its own physicality, its own voice, and its own purpose. The Cricket’s purpose is to get Pinocchio to go to school, the Showman to show him that it’s a dangerous world, and the Blue Fairy to try and right him on the path to tell the truth. Finding out what each character does for Pinocchio, where they’re hooked in with their costume, and how they live inside me… that’s what this play was for me.”