The Mousettes mimic New York City’s “Rockettes” in the PES production of “The Country Mouse, City Mouse Holiday.” | Clif Knight

Clif Knight

Hartselle Enquirer

Fifth grade students at Priceville Elementary School along with third and fourth grade members of the PES Choir delighted a standing-room-only audience of PTO members, administrators and teachers with their third annual Christmas production entitled “The Country Mouse, City Mouse Holiday.”

The hour-long production was staged in the school gymnasium Tues., Dec. 15, under the direction of music/art teacher Susie Bagwell.

The setting was Times Square in front of a bakery shop that specialized in the baking of gingerbread cookies.

The plot involved a country mouse (Lily Thwing) visiting New York City at the invitation of a city mouse (Abbie Hawkins) A culture shock ensued when the city mouse discovered that her country mouse guest talked different, wore funny clothes and went to bed early. The city mouse would have none of this and set out to win her guest over with all the glitz and glitter of a big city Christmas celebration.

The country mouse was entertained by choir singing, dancing by the Mousettes and fine dining with gingerbread cookies for dessert.

The holiday celebration was interrupted suddenly when three black cats leaped on stage and began chasing the country mouse and the city mouse. The chase ended when other mice came to their rescue.

“We started rehearsals November 10,” said Bagwell.  “Cast members worked hard and that was evident by the way they acted out their respective roles tonight. I thank the PTO members for their support.”

“It was a lot of fun but it was hard to be a boy in my role,” said Abbie Hawkins, the city mouse.  “One lesson I learned is you can’t judge a book by its cover.  In the beginning, the country mouse and I were strangers. Now we’re best friends despite having different lifestyles.”