‘Wishtree’ brings hope and wishes to Augusta University

Theatre AUG’s original adaptation of New York Times bestselling-novel Wishtree, by author Katherine Applegate, embraces themes of friendship and community surrounding the kindness of a tree named Red located in a close-knit neighborhood.

The story has been adapted and directed by Melanie Kitchens O’Meara, PhD, an associate professor of performance studies in the Department of Art and Design in Augusta University’s Katherine Reese Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.

The play is based on an oak tree, Red, who is the neighborhood “wishtree.” Neighbors often write their wishes on cloth and tie them to Red’s branches. 

Wishtree will be presented at the Grover C. Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre on AU’s Summerville Campus March 13-15 at 7 p.m. and at 3 p.m. on March 16. The show is free to all students and faculty and staff of Augusta University and East Georgia State College. Tickets for the general public are $10, while alumni, seniors (60+) and military tickets are $7. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at Maxwell Theatre’s website.

“I read the book and was totally on board with this play because of the themes of friendship and community,” O’Meara said. “And, of course, it is a tree that tells the story, so I thought, ‘What a fun challenge to figure out how to create a narrator but not overtax one single performer and still maintain that narrator of the story.’

“There are five performers who are playing the main character, who is a 200-year-old oak tree,” O’Meara added. “Two actors play the roots, one plays a limb, one a leaf and then one plays the trunk of the tree. All together they tell the story.”

Following the devastation of Hurricane Helene in Augusta and the surrounding areas, O’Meara said this was the perfect story to present to a community that had suffered so much destruction and loss of trees throughout the region.

“I thought it would be really cool if we could designate a tree on campus for the week of the show as a wishing tree and get the community to place wishes on the tree,” O’Meara said, adding the wishing tree is decorated with lights and is located adjacent to the Maxwell Theatre near the brick wall by Walton Way.

While developing the play, O’Meara also learned that there was a campus-wide meeting about replanting the trees on Augusta University’s campus. She attended the meeting along with her husband, AU alumnus and local horticulturist Lucas O’Meara.

Since that meeting, there has been talk of creating a permanent wishing tree on AU’s campus.

“The response has been incredible,” Kitchens O’Meara said. “People know how important this is now because of all the trees that we lost and how devastating that hurricane was to our community.”

Antonio Fernandez, a second-year undergraduate student studying digital and visual storytelling, plays Red’s trunk in the play.

“My cast mates and I knew that from the very start of this production that this was something that we wanted to do because we went through so much destruction from Hurricane Helene,” Fernandez said. “We thought by doing this it would bring a lot of joy and peace to the community.”

Joining the cast of AU actors are students from Episcopal Day School, which adds another community dynamic to the play, Fernandez said.

“Just the other day, we were working on some props, and we were writing down some wishes from the kids from EDS, and just reading their wishes was really nice because we can see the things that kids are excited about and what they’re dreaming of,” Fernandez said. “It helped us all feel part of a bigger community.”

Mia Dickens, a fourth-year undergraduate student studying digital and visual storytelling, plays Red’s limb in the play. She said it’s nice to be working with the EDS students on such a positive play about friendship.

“The students that I have met so far are very sweet, and they are just as excited as me to be in this play,” Dickens said. “And people love the idea of a wishing tree on campus. I will be one of the people that will be putting wishes on the tree, for sure. I think that’s a really nice way to bring the Augusta University community together in a wholesome way.”

Dickens said the damage due to Hurricane Helene was something most people never expected.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been in a situation like that before, so it took a lot of adapting,” she said. “There were a lot of uncertainties too, so it was scary, not just for me but for everyone around me. I was worried for everyone and what they were going through, but I think the way we bounced back couldn’t have been better.”

Amber Pucci, a graduate of AU, and Andy Nelson, a first-year undergraduate biology major and music minor, play Red’s roots in Wishtree.

“I think the idea of having a wishing tree on campus would be really fun,” Pucci said. “It would be a nice way for college students to express what’s on their mind. My wish would be for everyone to make it through the year happy and healthy.”

Farah Hassan, a second-year undergraduate student at East Georgia State College, plays Bongo, a crow that is Red’s best friend in the play.

“I’m the funny sidekick in the play,” Hassan said, laughing. “I love that this play teaches kids that we should all be loving and respectful of each other. The message is to be kind to your neighbor, and I think the entire community has first-hand experience of the importance of that message following Hurricane Helene.”