Thirty-one young people, ranging in age from 5 to 19, have been cast in the theatrical production "Not Just High Water," to be performed in The Journey Museum's Wells Fargo Theatre June 6-8.

The cast is a cross-section of the community, with students from Meadowbrook, Wilson, Rapid Valley, Knollwood, Corral Drive, Grandview and Valley View Elementary Schools; West, Dakota and Southwest Middle Schools; Stevens and Central High Schools, St. Elizabeth Seton, Hermosa and Red Cloud Indian School. Two cast members are home-schooled.

Actors cast include Angela Izzillo, Shelby Brickhouse, Katelyn Troastle, Kenzi Meeks, Carolyn Maxson, Cerisa Dillon, Eileen M. Stover, Sarah Mills, Megan Dorsey, Heather Sutton, Regann Barbier, Praetoria Diaz, Kayla Morman, Denae Schilling, Raimi Brickhouse, Rachel Fillmore, Alexandra Boyd, Amanda Carter, Chantelle DeClerca, Seger Sasso, Devyn Dillon, Brendon Atkinson, Mason Morgan, KC Hofer, Will Schilling, Kipp Dillon, Raleigh Maxson, Gunnar Leach, Soren Sasso and Adam Voss.

Marcia Dunsmore will provide production assistance, and Journey Museum education director Diane Melvin will design promotional materials. The play's background film product will be created by Central High School instructor Tammy Mestad.

Museum Teen Team members will provide backstage assistance: Stephen Engelhardt will handle lights and Katie Strand will be stage manager. Teen Team member Ana Knudsen is acting in the production and Team members Alex Marrs, Brandon Fleming, Rachael Wiedmeier, Amy Feiock , Cassie Nelin and David Strand will assist with set and props and work front of the house during performances.

"Not Just High Water" was written by Kristi Thielen, and is based on interviews with people who were children or teens at the time of the 1972 Flood.

"I wanted to focus on those who were young at the time because their memories have a poignant quality that adult memories lack," Thielen said. "Also, the recollections of the young are often overlooked. I knew that a play about children and teenagers would provide good acting opportunities for young performers and thought it would make the history of the flood more meaningful to young theatre-goers."

Interviewees were solicited through news releases sent to the media. The chief media support came from the late Ron Bender of the Rapid City Journal. Bender gave the project a major boost with an editorial page column in which he recalled his own 1972 Flood memories and urged readers to provide interviews to the playwright, because of the historical significance of the tragedy.

A 30-minute cutting of "Not Just High Water" was performed by a cast of 11 in June of 2007; this year's performance includes the full script.

Performances will be on June 6 at 7 p.m., June 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and on June 8 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $7.00 for adults and $4.00 for children 17 and under. There will be no advance ticket sales; the box office opens one hour before each performance.

For more information about "Not Just High Water," contact Kristi Thielen at 394-4103.