Snow day!
If our imaginations are like castles, then daily journals are doorways. As highly valued property for a creative thinker, the keeper of these daily accounts becomes a fortress, and their friends and enemies act as battling rams. In Walden Theater’s production of “Snow Angel” by David Lindsey-Abaire, we see just how precious these accounts can be.

The play begins with the most joyous of days for a young person, the snow day. This opening scene captures perfectly the fraught anticipation young people endure while waiting to hear their school’s name called. For the quiet town of Deerpoint, Vt., this particular snow day happens to be part of the worst blizzard in 107 years. The students of Mrs. Sampson’s English class are still required to write in their journals, however, and everyone except the pensive young Frida has difficulty with this rather simple, open-ended assignment.

Upon meeting Eva, a mysterious young girl who emerges from out of a snow bank, Frida finds plenty to muse about in her journal. Once her prying and insensitive classmates discover and read aloud the contents of her coveted marble index, the friendship with the strange Eva is revealed. Soon, all 15 students from Mrs. Sampson’s class become absorbed in this missing girl’s spell.

The play is a funny and dark tale of teen angst, discovery and the power of believing.
“Snow Angel” recalls one of those Canadian kids movies from the ’80s — like “The Peanut Butter Solution” or “The Dog Who Stopped the War.” A lost, great episode from the Degrassi series came to mind as well. Great cast of fully developed characters, the girl with the glass eye shouldn’t be missed. My one suggestion to these great young actors is to slow down. (“Snow Angel” continues through Dec. 15 at the Kentucky Center’s MeX Theater. Call 584-7777 for tickets.) —Joey Yates