Plains students drum up ghost at 'Light in the Mill'

Nine Plains High School actors showed audiences what superstitions and ghosts can do to the workers of a textile mill of the 1840s.

The school's drama club performed its spring play, “The Light in the Mill,” at the Sanders County Fairgrounds pavilion Friday and Saturday evening.

One hundred and forty-one people attended the play, with the most going to Saturday's performance, according to Wendy Starkey, the play's director. This was the first time Starkey has not held a Sunday performance, which was usually done in the afternoon.

“The Light in the Mill” took place at an 1843 New England textile mill. When Magda Thorn (Taylor Boles), one of the women workers, dies, mill worker Wilma (Abbie Starkey) believes Thorn's ghost is visiting the mill.

Even with strange occurrences going on, Mrs. Potter (Tara Baker), tries to put a stop to the rumors.

Later, it was speculated that the woman may have been murdered by Curran Rosich (Phillip Cardon), owner of the mill, while Abner Dodge (Kenny Griggs), a worker at the mill, steals the body from the grave in order to sell it. While most grieve the loss of Thorn, her mother (Christian Zigler) just wants to make sure she's paid her daughter's wages and retrieves any valuable belongings left behind.

One item Mrs. Thorn left was a book of poems written by her daughter. Mill workers Jane Cooper (Sheila Nyomo) and Nan Minton (Bethany Mack) read Thorn's poetry as the ghost makes periodic appearances, leaves puddles of water from the canal, where she died, and even mends a piece of fabric.

Later, a conflict breaks out and Dodge is stopped from selling the body, but not before the truth is revealed about Rosich's involvement with Dodge and the dead woman, which puts her ghost at rest.

The play was the last one for seniors Zigler and Nyomo, who have participated in every school play - eight of them - since their freshman year, said Wendy Starkey.

“The Light in the Mill” was the first performance by eighth-grader Kristi Hanke, who played the part of Katie Kay, one of the mill workers who was alarmed by the possibility of a ghost.

“They did a fabulous job,” said Starkey, who has directed five Plains High School plays since taking over the drama club just over two years ago.

She's also taken the club to two drama fests. For the last one, “How to Make an American Teenage Quilt,” the actors received a second place at the Montana State Thespian Festival in February.

The actors began working on “The Light in the Mill” six weeks ago. Terri Henry made all the sets for the play, said Starkey, who made the girls' costumes. The play's stage hands were Alex Allstead and Robert Hicks.

Starkey is planning for a production of “Grease” in the fall.