“The Railway Children,” a play by E. Nesbit, produced by Bonnie Grice and her “boots on the ground theater” at the Southampton Cultural Center, will open on March 14th and run until March 23rd and is directed by Josephine Wallace. Bonnie Grice explained why she picked this play: “I was looking for a story that offered some plum roles for young actors in our community—something off the beaten path. Unique to Long Island audiences… tinged with history. And entertaining, of course. We wanted something special for our inaugural Gen C Creative production.”
She said, “A story of family, hardship, love, loss and TRAINS! It’s a story of 3 siblings forced to move to a small town in England in 1900 when their father is mysteriously taken away. And how they wind up using the trains that come through the town to help save their dad.” She notes this adaptation for the stage of Edith Nesbit’s beloved story is by Mike Kenny. The show created quite a stir and broke box office records in England when it was staged in London and in York. Those shows featured real steam trains! Grice said, “Alas, we regret we won’t be able to have real locomotives, but as the playwright says, ‘you don’t need a real train to perform this play…. The most powerful prop is the imagination of the audience… the most effective tool is the skill of the actors. What we will have is a big model train show that will fill the SCC Gallery presented by the Railroad Museum of Long Island on opening weekend. All three days. March 14-16.”
Ms. Grice said the cast is, “Brilliant, The entire cast is fantastic featuring some veteran actors familiar to local audiences. Plus, our “Railway Children“. These young folks are so talented. And their commitment to the show and their fellow cast is impressive to say the least. Two of them have never acted before. But you wouldn’t know it!”
Ollie Dianora-Brondal, who plays Peter, is twelve years old and lives in Sag Harbor, NY. He is a passionate artist and environmental advocate. Grice proudly said, “In 2024, Ollie participated in the “725” exhibition at the Whaling Museum in Sag Harbor and earned third place in the “Hometown Heroes” student competition at the Hamptons Doc Fest in January 2025 in which he interviewed ecologist, Carl Safina, for his film.” He is an original member of the Young Environmentalists Society at the South Fork Natural History Museum and has been involved in numerous environmental projects. He also took part in the filming of an episode of “Extraordinary World with Jeff Corwin” at SOFO in December 2024. Grice said, “Ollie is incredibly honored to make his theater debut with this production and is grateful for the opportunity to share this experience with the audience.”
Then Grice said, “Claire Chmielewski is excited to be making her theater debut as Phyllis.” Claire Chmielewski is a fourth grader at the Bridgehampton School. Grice said, “Claire has a passion for performing and has previously danced in The Nutcracker. When she’s not on stage, she enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, and playing Fortnite.” Grice said, “She would like to thank her Mom, Dad, and her brother Chase for their encouragement and support.”
Zoe Richardson is a sophomore writing major at Pratt Institute and plays Roberta or “Bobbie,” the eldest. Grice said, “This is her third show, and we’re thrilled to have her back. Her first was Sherlock’s Secret Life (Mollie/Narrator) and then Chemical Imbalance (Ambrosia Jekyll) in high school. Zoe Richardson trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) in London through a two-week summer course. She’s a three-time Teeny Award winner with eight nominations. She was also nominated for the New York State Roger Rees Awards for her performance in Cinderella (Marie/Fairy Godmother). Zoe’s early training includes Stagedoor Manor Acting Camp (Aida, Annie Get Your Gun) and the Diller-Quaile School of Music, where she first fell in love with the arts.
Grice said she was surprised by how well, “The kids have the ability to memorize their lines! Because they have quite a few! The story revolves around them. But not just the memorizing. It’s what we’re seeing now as they become more familiar with their characters and each other. We also added the effects of lighting and sound, which are crucial to this show. The lights and the sounds of the steam trains will make the actors and the audience feel the essence of this story.”
Grice added, “This experience has given me new respect for young actors and the talent we have in our community. It’s why we started GEN C., Whether you’re in Gen X. Gen Y. Gen Alpha. Millennials. Boomers. You can all be part of GEN C Creative with boots-on-the-ground theater. We plan on bringing these shows to the SCC stage every spring. Giving young folks new opportunities in theater. To work with veteran actors. To hone their skills and express themselves in new ways by walking the boards through time and history.”
Grice concluded by saying, “Big thanks to this cast and our director Josephine Wallace, who came on board for this her third ‘botgt production.’ Josephine Wallace is fearless and brilliant. Also, a special thanks to Kirsten Lonnie and the SCC Board for their unwavering support since 2018.” She also said thanks to our crew sound and lighting, and “…our audiences/friends & supporters for their ongoing support. The parents! For their dedication, support and transportation.’ Along with a big thanks to the Railroad Museum of Long Island and their President Don Fisher for their partnership and for keeping Long Island’s train history alive.”
For more information: https://scc-arts.org/boots-on-the-ground-theater/
