Miss Nelson is Missing

Miss Nelson Teaching her Students

On January 3rd, 4th, and 5th, Hilliard Darby Theater performed Harry Allard’s Miss Nelson is Missing, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher. The plot follows a class of misbehaving students and their sweet teacher, Miss Nelson. When Miss Nelson is absent from school for a week, the students are in for a surprise when their stern substitute teacher, Viola Swamp, takes over to maintain order in the classroom. The kids soon realize how much they miss Miss Nelson, so they embark on a silly adventure to get her back.

I thought that the cast did a phenomenal job. Even when they weren’t actively speaking, their mannerisms and subtle movements matched their characters perfectly. Miss Nelson, played by Aileen McManus, had a tender, gentle demeanor that made the audience sympathize with her after her class slowly tempered her spirits. Miss Swamp, played by Molly Nixon, made a grand entrance into the classroom, broom and all (which she claimed wasn’t her ride) that frightened the students. Her stern, tough-as-nails, no-nonsense attitude made the audience feel they were also given piles of homework that night.

I especially wasn’t expecting the mini-musical number that broke out within the first 45 minutes of the play. Principal Humleker, played by Nathan Laemmle, flew onto the stage, threw on his sunglasses, and began to sing “The Swamp Stomp”. On cue, Miss Swamp began to do her “stomp” as she danced around the stage with her large cape. The students followed suit, as they climbed up on their desks and chairs and pumped their fists while they shouted, “Miss Swamp! Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!” which was quite enjoyable for the audience.

“The Swamp Stomp”

I quite enjoyed the banter between the students, which I felt was very representative of the imaginations of young elementary students. At one point in the show, each of the kids started imagining what they thought happened to Miss Nelson. In the theater, a green screen above the stage displayed stop-motion videos that 5th graders created at Crossing Elementary. Some of the scenes depicted included Miss Nelson floating in space, scuba diving, and in the jungle.

I loved how engaging the play was with the audience and how clever the plot was. The character development throughout the show was well done. I especially enjoyed seeing the kids slowly start to notice and overcome their mistakes. They realized how much they took Miss Nelson for granted and went on a heartwarming quest to regain their kind-hearted teacher.

I interviewed Finley Inman, who played Elvis, one of the students that his Elvis-loving parents had named. Naturally, he took after Elvis’ mannerisms, dance moves, and all. I asked him about his favorite part about performing in Miss Nelson is Missing, and he replied, “Being Elvis Presley because I love Elvis!”. I also asked him about how he connected with the cast during the performance. He focused on one of his friends in particular and said, “Molly, who was Miss Swamp, she’s just my friend, and we always hang out.” Finally, I asked him about what happened behind the scenes that the audience otherwise wouldn’t have known about. “The fact that it took me, like, almost an hour and a half to do my hair!” he shared.

I absolutely loved the production. I thought that each of the actors did a phenomenal job and connected with the audience in such a way that made them feel like they could relate to the characters. It gave the audience an opportunity to escape, if only for a short time, from the realities of life. It brought people together over their shared love of theater, enabling them to laugh and feel joy during the performance.

Full Cast List:

Miss Nelson………………………………………….. Aileen McManus

Miss Viola Swamp…………………………………… Molly Nixon

Principal Humleker…………………………………… Nathan Laemmle

Detective McSmogg………………………………….. Lane Osborne

Raymond……………………………………………… Ray Pyles

Phoebe………………………………………………….Mckenna Harston

George Jorgenson, Jr…………………………………..Stephen McAuliffe

Lavita…………………………………………………..Keira Webb

Morris aka “Mouse”.......................................................Aiden Shockley

Kimberly……………………………………………….Noelle Hampton

Elvis……………………………………………………Finley Inman