Pocky and Stamp are a magical duo who learn from eachother.
When Sean McHugh and Katie McHugh Parker were approached about the Maysville Children’s Theatre performing a play based on their book Broomsticks: Once Upon a Maysville Moon, they were shocked and in awe.
On Oct. 25, 26 and 27, the pair were able to watch their characters come to life on stage at the Maysville Community and Technical College.
“It was incredible…absolutely incredible! Katie and I were blown away. They got everything right from the sets, costumes, and that incredible cast of wonderful kids,” said Sean McHugh. “The humor, the heart, and the magic…it was all there! It was everything we hoped for and more.”
He went on to explain how important these characters had become to him over the years.
“These characters, especially Stamp and Pocky, have been my life’s work since the 1990s. They are real to me. They are my babies. So, to see them come to life on stage telling the story that Katie and I wrote and getting laughs from the jokes that we wrote. It was incredible and indeed a dream come true,” said McHugh.
McHugh and McHugh Parker agreed that Rayleigh Caudill was perfectly cast as Pocky.
“She had all the sweetness, humor, and she looked like she stepped right out of the book,” said the pair.
Additionally, they believed that Ayden Court’s portrayal of Stamp was equally perfect.
“He portrayed Stamp’s cockiness but brilliantly conveyed to the audience that deep down he was just as kind-hearted and in need of a friend as Pocky.”
McHugh stated that seeing Caudill and Court on stage portraying Pocky and Stamp was akin to how he assumed L. Frank Baum would feel seeing Judy Garland step into Dorothy Gale’s shimmering shoes.
The authors noted their delight in the casting and performances of Aleah Appleman as the “quirky” Maggie Gumm, Yamila Rodriguez as “snappy” talker Brooklyn Meadows and Adelina and Aerilyn Purcell as the “horrible” Snodgrass twins.
McHugh Parker remarked that one of her favorite scenes featured Preston Smith in his role as Jack the Talking Pumpkin. She remarked that seeing Smith on stage was resemblant to “watching a young Robin Williams in action.”
“One of the most touching moments of the play was the appearance of Loretta Stambo, Maysville’s legendary ghost who’s best known for haunting the Washington Opera House,” recalled McHugh. “Loretta was beautifully portrayed by the very talented Reagan Spence.”
The author duo insisted that each actor whether they were a lead or small role, performed wonderfully.
“Katie and I are so grateful that the Maysville Children’s Theatre chose “Broomsticks” to be their very first production. We didn’t know what to expect. We’d never written a play before, but James Dean, Sheryl Hicks, and everyone involved beautifully brought our story to the stage,” stated McHugh.
McHugh mentioned that many aspects of his and McHugh Parker’s written work were included.
“From the brilliant casting, directing and special effects to the finale when Stamp and Pocky take flight over the Maysville Moon, we couldn’t be happier with the results. They even added a few sight gags from the original Broomsticks comic strips. And they couldn’t have been kinder to us. It’s like the Maysville Children’s Theatre knew just how much these characters mean to us… and we couldn’t have left them in better hands,” said McHugh.
McHugh hinted that there may be more Broomsticks plays in the works for the future. In the meantime, the play can be watched on YouTube.
The Broomsticks books may be purchased online at https://www.indyplanet.com/?s=broomsticks as well as the Kentucky Gateway Museum Gift shop, Kenton Stories with Spirit and Nina Clooney’s Shop which is located in Augusta.
