This year’s Deep River Parks & Recreation annual musical production is Tut Tut, inspired by the life of young King Tutankhamun mixed with a dash of Mark Twain’s tale The Prince and the Pauper. With a cast of 21, 4th-, 5th-, and 6th- graders from Deep River Elementary School, the production promises catchy songs and upbeat music and dance on the Deep River Town Hall Auditorium stage on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 2 and 3.

Making her debut as the director of the Deep River musical production, longtime Chester resident Leslie Strauss has come on board for the show. With substantial musical, theatrical, and directorial experience, she has been working hard with the students over the past three months during weekly rehearsals.

Parks & Recreation Commission member Miriam Morrissey, who has worked on the annual show for the past six years, is happy to be producing the show once again, wrangling the actors, making costumes, and getting the production underway.

Retired Essex Elementary School art teacher Marilyn Malcarne is also involved, creating with the actors the one-of-a-kind papier mâché props, including Doris the camel, an almost life-size recreation of the desert animal.

But it’s the children who are the real stars. For 6th-grader Campbell Massey, this is her second year being part of the program and she said she loves it.

“My favorite part is the singing, because I love to sing,” said Massey, who has a solo this year and is a little nervous about it.

Her friend and fellow 6th-grader Chloe Donahue is making her acting debut in this year’s production and said the whole experience has been an exciting one.

“I’ve really enjoyed getting together and practicing with my friends after school,” she said.

Both girls said they would recommend getting involved in the musical to other students thinking about it for next year.

The show will premiere on Saturday, Feb 2, at 7 p.m. with an encore performance on Sunday, Feb. 3 at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, and can be purchased at Celebrations, the Deep River Town Hall, and at the door. All proceeds go to the Deep River Parks & Recreation Department.

“Everyone should come out and support these kids and the community,” said Morrissey. “Everyone has worked really hard; it’s a great show and the kids are very talented.”

“These kids are amazing and inspiring and this performance is good clean family fun that everyone will enjoy,” Strauss added.

Tut Tut

The Deep River Parks & Recreation musical production Tut Tut comes to the Deep River Town Hall Auditorium on Saturday, Feb 2, at 7 p.m. at with an encore performance on Sunday, Feb. 3 at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, and can be purchased at Celebrations, the Deep River Town Hall, and at the door. All proceeds go to the Deep River Parks & Recreation Department.