June 19, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

5 Questions with Al Pearman

Al Pearman plays Ben in St. Joseph-Ogden’s “The Descendents”. We asked Al five questions before the final show today at 2 p.m. Here are the answers.

Describe Ben.
Ben is the polite,and perhaps too kind, soon-to-be King of Auradon who has aspirations of finally connecting the two parts of his disjointed kingdom with the help of a few choice “villains.”

Was it challenging doing a play that people are so familiar with?
Absolutely. It’s much more difficult to make a character your own when you have such big shoes to fill, especially for well-known characters like Ben and the Evils. But I think it’s also an opportunity to show the audience how dedicated we are to our characters and to experiment within the range of what a well-known character would do.

What was the most challenging part of the production?
The most difficult part of our show this year was almost certainly the time constraints. Between the finishing of our new auditorium and moving show dates earlier to accommodate other conflicts we were left with less time than I would’ve liked to get this show off the ground, but I think we still did a great job despite those hurdles.

What was your favorite part?
My favorite part of our productions every year is the choreography. Our wonderful choreographer Darcy never fails to make spectacular dance numbers that are fun for both us performers and the audience. I may not be the best dancer up there, but I’m almost certain I’m having the most fun!

What can people expect from the play?
You can expect a great show full of villainy, magic, and some great music to match! We’ve all put so much work into this show and we hope you all come to love it as much as we do.

in Schools
Banner
Related Posts

Sexton uses love of music as motivation

May 1, 2019

May 1, 2019

Joshua Sexton loves band so much he plans on continuing it in college. “It’s one of my passions,” he said....

Wentzloff brings Lurch to life in Addams Family

April 3, 2022

April 3, 2022

Lili Wentzloff knows how to portray a character with few words. She is portraying Lurch, the butler of the creepy...

Talk of the Town with PVO Superintendent Vic White

May 16, 2019

May 16, 2019

Every week we ask a school superintendent, board member or mayor three questions. This week we talked to PVO Superintendent...

Heritage marching band modifies season

July 15, 2020

July 15, 2020

The Heritage Performing Arts department announced that their marching band season has been canceled. Band Director Justin Lee said that...

Hallett is new SRO in place at St. Joseph, PVO schools

September 10, 2019

September 10, 2019

Champaign County Sheriff’s Deputy Shawn Hallett has always held the police in high regard. “As a child, I remember having...

Live at St. Joseph-Ogden High School Board

February 27, 2023

February 27, 2023

I am here so you don’t have to be. Tonight they are discussing facilities updates. They are discussing a new...

Live at SJO school board, Dec. 17, 2024

December 17, 2024

December 17, 2024

Now I am here. They were apparently in closed for a while. #idkwhattheywerediscussing #itsalllegal They are discussing facility project updates...

PVO sets return date for full in-person instruction

February 16, 2021

February 16, 2021

Starting on March 22, all the students in the Prairieview-Ogden School District will return to in-person learning daily. Superintendent Jeff...

Safety concern prompts letter to parents

March 2, 2019

March 2, 2019

The system worked how it is supposed to. That is what St. Joseph-Ogden Superintendent Brian Brooks stressed in a letter...

More than a coach: SJO to honor Duval with field dedication ceremony Friday night

August 19, 2021

August 19, 2021

An educator. A coach. A friend. A husband. A father. A community icon. On Friday night the community and high...

St. Joseph Middle School 7th grade honor rolls

January 19, 2022

January 19, 2022

7th Grade High Honor Roll Ahart, Lillian Albrecht, Samuel Bello, Abigail Benoit, Zachary Burnett, Colin Clark, Elizabeth Crider, Abigail Dahl,...

SJO still waiting on property tax money

July 16, 2019

July 16, 2019

St. Joseph-Ogden High School has only received roughly $22,000 of the money it is due from Champaign County property taxes....

SJO makes graduation plans for June

May 1, 2020

May 1, 2020

St. Joseph-Ogden High School is making plans for graduation to honor the Class of 2020. In a letter sent to...

SJO Fall Athletic Awards

November 15, 2019

November 15, 2019

CROSS COUNTRY-BOYS MOST VALUABLE-2019 – Brandon Mattsey MOST IMPROVED – 2019 – Logan Wolfersberger TIM MIES EFFORT AWARD-2019- Charlie Mabry...

PVO Junior High Second quarter honor roll

January 13, 2023

January 13, 2023

7th Grade Highest Honors (3.7-4.0)Tyler BonnyIsabella FrerichsCasen GoffGaby GomezGeorge HaleRoyce LoschenLane McKinneyAtleigh MillerAirin RashKeegan RobertsKorinne TravisEvelyn ValentineLucas WatersAdyn Westerfield 7th...

Comments
Leave a Reply