Photo Flash: GOLD IN THE BONES

Washington Irving classics include The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but he wrote other scary stories. Fans of the most ghostly ones will have a chance to see them brought to life when South Coast Repertory's Junior Players present Gold in the Bones - Three Haunted Pirate Tales by Washington Irving, adaped by Eric Coble, in the Nicholas Studio March 28-29 and April 4-5.

The Junior Players (grades 5-8) are one of two young ensemble groups comprised of acting students who have been chosen through audition after at least two years in SCR's Theatre Conservatory. They attend classes twice weekly during the school year with additional rehearsal time prior to their annual performance. (The Teen Players, grades 9-12, will perform later in the spring.)

Gold in the Bones is narrated by the only surviving member of Captain Kidd's pirate crew, who knows all their secrets and tempts the audience by asking, "Do you want to know where the gold is buried?" Of course, the answer is yes! But first, everyone must watch and listen as he brings to life three tales of madness and greed - in the scarey style of Washington Irving. Then, he warns, "You may change your mind!"

Director Mercy Vasquez, who is also the Junior Players instructor, said, "Gold in the Bones is a wickedly witty play that deals with the universal theme of greed. We chose it because we knew it would be challenging, lots of fun and would afford these young actors the opportunity to showcase their skills as an ensemble. One can also never go wrong with pirates, ghosts and gold!"

Vasquez graduated from UCLA majoring in English Literature and Theater. Through a fellowship program offered by the same university, she received dramatic training in London at King's College. She continued her post graduate education in theater at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Professional Conservatory Program in SCR's Theatre Conservatory. She has performed on stage at SCR, Garden Grove Playhouse, Theater Theater and Heritage Square Theater and is the Voices Unheard Program Director for Greenway Arts Alliance in Hollywood.

The Junior Players are: Anita Abdi, Mason Acevedo, Brenna Barker, Alana Canann, Vita Chesters-Field, Ryan Gates, Sydney Lester, Jaclyn Martin, Allie Mgrublian, Karoline Ribak, Jason Risdana, Alyse Russell, Demie Santone, ElisaBeth Smith, Michael Stern and Bahaar Tadjbakhsh.

Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, under the artistic direction of David Emmes and Martin Benson, is widely recognized as one of the leading professional theaters in the United States. Founded in 1964, SCR is committed to theater that illuminates the compelling personal and social issues of our time, not only on its stages but through its education and outreach programs. While its productions represent a balance of classic and modern theater, SCR is renowned for its extensive new play development program, including the Pacific Playwrights Festival. Of SCR's more than 400 productions, 108 have been world premieres with subsequent stagings achieving enormous success across America and around the world. SCR-developed works have garnered eight Pulitzer Prize nominations with Margaret Edson's Wit winning the prize in 1999 and David Lindsay-Abaire's Rabbit Hole in 2007. Located in Costa Mesa, California, in 2002 SCR opened the Folino Theater Center, an expanded three-theater complex that includes the 507-seat Segerstrom Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio.

Allie Mgrublian and Mason Acevedo

Demie Santone, Alana Canann and Jason Risdana

Anita Abdi and Mason Acevedo

Vita Chesters-Field

Anita Abdi and Mason Acevedo