Vilonia students help bring in Christmas spirit with 'The Littlest Reindeer'

VILONIA The show must go on, according to staff members and students at the Vilonia Elementary School, even if it means rescheduling and using a fill in actor.

"The Littlest Reindeer," a Christmas play, was cancelled Monday night due to weather. When the original "Blitzen," reindeer character became ill Friday morning, another "quick-study" second-grader, Brice Horn, stepped in to play the sick child's part. He had seen the play once which was a week earlier but teachers were sure he could rise to the occasion.

"Brice Horn stepped in at 8:30 this morning," said Cindy Stringfellow, who directed the play, to the audience prior to the start.

The student scheduled to be in the play, she said, was just too ill to do it. Standing room only in the building, the children opened with a joyful noise.

"We're getting ready for Christmas, and there's so much to do," they sang.

Much the same as young Horn did in real life, the littlest reindeer, played by Ashlyn Maynard, saved the day when Santa (played by Trevor Renfroe) got stuck in the chimney. She had been told earlier in the play that she was too small to pull Santa's sleigh and that she had to stay at the North Pole while the other reindeer took him across the world on Christmas Eve delivering gifts.

Maynard offstage pretended to crawl up the chimney, using the light of Rudolf's nose, and freeing the jolly, fat man as the other reindeers pulled him out. Afterward, Maynard returned to the stage with smudges on face and wowed the audience with a solo.

Following a round of applause, Stringfellow touted the praises of the 150 or so children in the play. Other characters included Gracie James playing Mrs. Claus; Hannah Gordon, Kali Guilliams, Hannah Landers, Grace Goode and Maddie Hammonds playing elves. As well, those playing reindeer were Connor Knowles, Rudolf; Taylor Clements, Dasher; Emma Fowler, Dancer; Lydia Ashley, Prancer; Chance Gunter, Vixen; Alyson Robertson, Comet; Baylee Westcott, Cupid: Luke Berry, Donner and Clay Hankins Blitzen.