Wanna Get Away? Alec Manoian Makes His Escape in Mid-Winter Break

Alec Manoian (second from right) can easily relate
to playing a middle school student in Mid-Winter Break

As the airline commercial goes, “Wanna Get Away?” Do you ever feel like you need a break from your own life?  Do you sometimes feel like you are stuck in the middle?   Such is the fate of middle school students in Mid-Winter Break, a family friendly musical comedy coming to the Farmington Players Barn Theater on June 2 – 4, 2017. 

Mid-Winter Break is written and directed by Waterford resident and Barn member Kandi Krumins.  A former public middle school teacher, Kandi knows the trials and tribulations of teenagers all too well.  Her own children, Carter and Madison Krumins, are in their teens; both appeared in the original 2015 production (when in middle school) and they are also in the updated 2017 production.  Carter plays Norman.  Being in the middle ALL the time has taken its toll on Norman.  But having a best friend (Noah Babala) that LOVES being in the middle makes things even worse.  Throughout a series of dreams, Norman and his classmates, teachers, and family take a fantastic journey to glimpse what life is like "on the other side of the fence."

One of Norman’s classmates in Mid-Winter Break is ensemble cast member Alec Manoian.  Alec describes his roles as including a “servant who remains loyal to King Norman, and a dad and a high school student that can hardly wait for the bell to ring so he can finally relax.”  At age 14 and a junior high school student, Alec “feels likes I've been preparing for this show all school year. I mean, what student doesn't wish mid-winter break would come sooner. The fact that this show is about kids my age just made it all the better!”  Alec loves acting and enjoys the fact that Mid-Winter Break is “completely original! Nobody will know the story walking in, which means nobody will have any preconceived ideas about the roles and how they should be performed and compare you to anybody else that they have seen perform the roles.”  Audiences of all ages are sure to love this family friendly show.  As Alec says, “I think the songs are great! They are very catchy and stick in your head. I find that I even sing them throughout the day at school.”

Alec is currently in 8th grade at St. Michael School in Livonia and will be a freshman this fall in the Creative And Performing Arts (CAPA) program at the Churchill High School in Livonia.   Alec got his feet wet at the Barn working with the tech crew on Spamalot, where he met Kandi and several other cast and crew members who also ended up being involved in Mid-Winter Break.

Reserved seats for Mid-Winter Break are available now at www.farmingtonplayers.org or by calling the box office at 248-553-2955.  All tickets are only $12 and show times are as follows: Friday, June 2, 8pm;  Saturday, June 3, 8pm; and Sunday, June 4, 2pm.  One weekend only!