Crest View Elementary School presents “The Enchanted Bookstore”

During the day, the bookstore at the center of Crest View Elementary School’s recent play looks like any other bookstore. But, at night, it’s a place where the characters inside the books come alive. Six book characters long to help the bookstore owner save her struggling store, but they can’t be seen by human eyes or they risk disappearing forever. And thus the story of “The Enchanted Bookstore” plays out, featuring 26 Crest View student cast members ranging from grades kindergarten through five. 

Crest View staff put the play together using Targeted Services programming, which is a program that offers before/after school and summer opportunities for students that seek to meet the needs of the whole child. The play participants worked hard after school to memorize lines and rehearse together for several weeks, and families pitched in to help with costumes and props. 

Fifth grade student Emmerson Section, who played Officer Ketchum in the show, said that watching one of his favorite shows, Henry Danger, made him excited about acting opportunities like The Enchanted Bookstore. 

“When I got to get on the stage and act, it made me feel like I was in a real movie,” Section said.

Honesty Sauerwein, a fourth grade student who played the Book Fairy, said being part of the show definitely inspired her to continue acting in the future. 

“Theater is one of my favorite things,” she said. “I just like seeing people happy and seeing the whole school smile at our play. It just makes me really happy.”