By Geena Monahan—For the North Star Reporter
When the curtain rises on “Frozen Jr.” next month at North Attleborough High School, it will mark more than opening night for the spring musical.
The production will unite middle and high school students, draws faculty together behind the scenes and, for one young actress, continues a family legacy decades in the making.
The show runs March 13 at 7 p.m. and March 14 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Tickets are available at nahstc.ludus.com and, according to first-year theater coordinator and director Patricia Bratberg, they are selling quickly.
“Tickets are selling far faster than I expected,” said Bratberg. “It’s really exciting.”
Though she has taught in the district since 2006 and previously served as a theater advisor, this is Bratberg’s first year leading the program. When she realized the spring musical included roles for Young Anna and Young Elsa, she saw a unique opportunity.
“I thought we should be reaching out to younger students in our district to audition for those parts,” she said.
The idea quickly expanded and, anticipating strong interest, Bratberg allowed middle school students not only to audition for the featured roles, but to be considered for the ensemble. The result was 17 middle school students joining 28 high school actors on stage, along with roughly 10 students working on tech and crew.
“I don’t like excluding people from productions,” said Bratberg. “I’m trying to build a program that kids are excited about joining.”
Bridging grades and generations
Middle school performers travel to the high school after classes, often doing their homework before rehearsal begins. Bratberg said she has watched high school students help them with math and offer guidance on everything from memorizing lines to rehearsal etiquette.
“I think the bridge between middle school and high school can sometimes be challenging,” she said. “In the arts, this feels like a natural way to get kids excited about coming to the high school and knowing they have a place where they belong.”
The mentorship works both ways, she added. High school students learn to serve as role models, while younger performers gain confidence and a glimpse of what their future could hold.
That sense of belonging is already taking root for sixth grader Abigail Keplin, who plays Young Elsa. For her family, the stage at North Attleborough High School is hallowed ground.
Abigail Keplin’s grandmother, Lisa Forsgard, directed the high school theater program from 2003 to 2021 after first performing as an adult in the early 1990s, including “Once Upon a Mattress” and “Fiddler on the Roof.” Abigail Keplin’s grandfather built sets alongside her grandmother for years, continuing until his death in 2020.
“She started on that stage at 1 or 2 years old, following her granddad around while he built sets,” said her mother, Siobhan Keplin.
Siobhan Keplin herself performed in high school productions from 1997 to 2001, including “Grease,” “The Pajama Game,” “Into the Woods” and “Anything Goes.” She was also part of the final cast to work with longtime director Judy Cobb, for whom the school’s theater is named.
Now, more than two decades later — and just two years after moving back to town — Siobhan Keplin is watching her daughter take center stage in a role that feels almost fated.
“It just so happened they needed a Young Elsa,” said Siobhan Keplin. “She decided to try, and she got cast. It feels very special. This is our entire family legacy that she now gets the opportunity to be part of.”
Siobhan Keplin said her daughter has already begun forming strong bonds with older cast mates. One senior praised her for being off-book weeks ahead of schedule, while another noticed her commitment to attending every rehearsal.
“She comes home floating on air,” said Siobhan Keplin. “She’s seeing where she can go in the next six years. The older students have been so welcoming — it’s giving her a home before she’s even at the high school.”
For Siobhan Keplin, a music teacher, watching her daughter flourish in the district’s arts program has been especially meaningful.
“Sometimes the arts come second because our sports programs are so great,” she said. “But Patty is rebuilding and so dedicated to her students. She’s created such a positive environment.”
School support
Behind the scenes, that environment extends beyond the cast. Bratberg said faculty across the building have rallied around the production.
Principal Thomas Rizzo helped troubleshoot stage lighting earlier this year. An English teacher with carpentry skills assisted with set construction. The art teacher serves as artistic designer. A student choreographed the show, and another is leading the wardrobe team alongside an adult advisor.
“It’s really nice to see the different parts of the school come together,” said Bratberg.
This year’s production cycle began months ago, with auditions held in mid-December so students could take scripts home over winter break. Blocking and choreography were completed before February break, and rehearsals focus on polishing scenes and refining visual elements.
The program also added a Saturday matinee this year, hoping to attract a younger audience and build excitement for theater across the district. During show week, faculty members wear production shirts in support of the cast, and the theater department has introduced printed programs featuring family shoutouts and business advertisements as keepsakes.
For Bratberg, the goal is sustainability — ensuring middle school involvement supports existing programs and continues in years to come.
“It really represents North Attleborough and what our students have to offer,” said Bratberg. “From middle school students holding their own in a high school production to a Young Elsa whose family has shared this stage — it’s special.”