After several years of not having a drama club, the middle school is celebrating the club’s first year in revival with a production of “Annie KIDS” in April 2016.

The musical focuses on an orphaned girl who is adopted by a wealthy man, though this version has been cut to 30 minutes, as it is aimed at young performers. Director Kim Bergamini said she and others involved in the production didn’t want to choose a love story, because “at this age, they are like, ‘Ew! Oh, no!’”

Bergamini said the school wanted to start up more of an outlet for the arts for the students at the middle school, and thus decided to resurrect the drama club. Bergamini said she has been talking with Carolyn Gomes Viera, the high school’s theatre director, in order to try to make the middle school drama club “sort of a stepping stone for when the kiddos go to the theatre.”

Though the middle school club is more of an introduction to theatre, Bergamini said it is still very involved.

“This is still a full-scale production,” Bergamini said.

In order to get proper funding for the production, Bergamini said she went to the PTA, and received a grant that allowed them to purchase a script package. Though the club just had its first interest meeting in September, by November, it already had a full cast for the production.

“It’s ready to go!” Bergamini said. “We are already practicing. … It will be every Tuesday … and on some Fridays, too, for extra scene work.”

Bergamini said the kids are excited, and that she had more than 50 students at the club’s first interest meeting. She said every student who showed interest got a part, whether it was in the cast or the crew. Though the kids will be creating the sets and the costumes, they will also be getting help from parents and teachers. Any student who wants or needs extra help, Bergamini said, can also work with her, music director Jamie Wiksten, or another parent volunteer.

Bergamini said she is looking forward to seeing the production the children put on.

“Ultimately, I just want to hand it over to them, because it’s all about them,” Bergamini said. “I just want them to be able to see they can do this. They started out with just showing up at an interest meeting in September, and in April, they will put on a full production.”