NES children stage play in memory of Rebecca Sayre
By DeWitt Smith

Contributing Writer

In a burst of end-of-the-year creative energy, Nantucket Elementary School students are putting on a play in memory of a former Nantucket student.

At least 70 children are involved in the production of “Why the Sun and Moon Live in the Sky,” a play that is an African tale with African music and being narrated by a youngster who was born in Zambia. The play is sponsored by the Rebecca Sayre Fund.

Sayre was a Nantucket High School graduate who died two years ago. The fund came into being as a way to pay tribute to her love of children and the arts.

“People had wanted to do something,” said Mary Moores, the Elementary School music teacher. “Rebecca loved the arts, and we thought what could we do to remember Rebecca? So we’re doing something that includes singing and dancing and the art design of the set and drama for speaking parts.”

Sayre, a 1994 graduate of Nantucket High School, had spent a year in Africa, so Moores remembered that she knew an African production. Moores also felt close to her because she was both her teacher when Sayre was a student, and her colleague when she also was a substitute teacher at the Elementary School.

“I knew Rebecca had been to Africa, and so doing this production in her memory seemed natural. Close to 70 students are participating, but what makes it different is that I have a narrator, a fourth-grader born in Zambia. There’s also shadow puppetry,” said Moores.

The puppetry and set design are thanks to the efforts of Elementary School art teacher, Finnie Trimpi.

“The play calls for shadow puppets,” said Trimpi. “When I first read the story to the children, I had them draw their images on regular paper, and we transferred the images onto cardboard. Then, we cut out space and made silhouettes with detail.”

The 12 children working with Trimpi have been busy with the set design and puppets since mid-April. While the children are students at the Elementary School, they participate in a Nantucket Community School program that is paid for by the scholarship fund. The play means a good deal to Pindell, Sayre’s mother.

“Rebecca worked at the elementary school and was at the Art Students League in New York City,” said Pindell. “She played the piano and was so involved in the arts that her sister, Casey, and I decided to create something in her name that we knew she would smile about. It’s a good way to have her name remembered. So many children have responded by dropping off $1 bills or $5 bills at Mitchell’s Bookstore.”

Last year was the first year for the fund’s memorial play. There were 35 students who made their own sets and learned their own lines.

“They were really impressive,” said Pindell.

Crystal King Ray was a classmate of Sayre’s, and the class of 1994 had an off-year reunion last weekend.

“We had our 11th reunion because so many of us missed last year. Rebecca was so much part of our class. In fact, the class of ’94 donated $500 for the Rebecca Sayre fund,” said Ray. “She was a unique individual, and I think it’s so awesome that they have this for the kids. It’s very moving.”

The free performance is Thursday, June 23 at 7 p.m. at the Elementary School gym; Friday’s presentation for students is at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Send contributions to the Rebecca Sayre Fund care of the Elementary School or to Pamela Pindell, 53 Polpis Road.