Girl's quest for a miracle is touching in Alpine's 'Thousand Paper

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Mar 17, 2005 by Sharon Haddock Deseret Morning News

ALPINE -- Sadako Sasaki was just 2 years old when the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. It destroyed her hometown and killed her beloved grandmother.

Now Sasaki is 12 and dreams of winning the race to be the fastest runner in the city, but her dreams are cut short when she finds she has radiation sickness, the leukemia that many suffered as an aftermath of the bombing.

So begins her quest for a miracle, adapted for the stage from the classic story "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" written by Eleanor Coerr.

According to ancient Japanese lore, if a person who is ill will fold a thousand paper cranes, the Gods will heal that person.

The high-spirited, courageous young girl begins to fold cranes, A story of faith, love and ancestral bonds unfolds that includes music, masks, fans and choreography that resonates the grace and culture that is Japan.

Eleven-year-old Kelsey Hatch plays the part of Sadako, a girl she can identify with because she'll also be 12 in a few months.

She's finding the part challenging and "sort of sad."

"I love the role. I read the book in one day," Hatch said. "I've learned a lot about faith and hope and if they believe in a miracle, that miracle will come true."

For Hatch, the story of the bombing of Hiroshima was new. Now she's interested in the history, especially once she found that the people of Japan have put up a monument dedicated to Sasaki.

Although Hatch is young, she's no stranger to the stage. She's been dancing in front of audiences since she was little and played Brigitta Von Trapp in Alpine's "Sound of Music" last summer.

Her mother, Tres Hatch, said her daughter was born for the theatrical world.

Kelsey Hatch said she may well "apply for a job one day as a movie star" but in the meantime she's just happy to be learning more about acting.

She isn't happy about folding paper cranes, however. For the production, cast members and assorted friends have thus far folded more than 700 of the Origami creatures.

"I wasted three pieces of paper trying to fold one. I gave up," Hatch said.

If you go

What: "A Thousand Paper Cranes," an Alpine Youth Theatre Company production

Where: Alpine Playhouse, 81 S. 100 West, Alpine

When: March 21, 23, 25, 26 at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday performances begins at 8 p.m.

Cost: Ticket are $7.25 for adults, $6.25 for children 10 and under. Call 1-800-838-3006 or purchase online at: www.alpineplayhouse.com.

Tickets available at the door also. If you want to learn to fold a paper crane, visit: www.sadako.com

E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com