Bringing Mr. Trolly’s World to Life
Some shows take on a life of their own. We closed out the school year with one of them. This original story, titled Mr. Trolly’s Little Red Cart, follows two children who wander into a forest and stumble upon a small red cart belonging to a lonely troll who hasn’t been getting many visitors lately. What unfolds is a warm, collaborative adventure where the children rally their classmates and teacher to help bring new life to Mr. Trolly’s little business. It’s a simple premise with a lot of heart, and at its core, a story about community and kindness, not as a lesson, but as something that just naturally lives in the world of the play.
This production was designed to bring many aspects of the stage experience together in one place, more than most themes we explore during the year. From script writing and prop creation to lighting, smoke effects, and an extended rehearsal period, it was one of the more ambitious undertakings of the term. Students were given a script with intentional gaps to fill in and make their own, which meant no two groups performed exactly the same show. From there, they built props for their specific characters, thinking through what each role would actually need on stage and constructing those pieces by hand. One student made a giant pencil for the teacher character. Others built maps, food items for the cart, and one narrator constructed a 3D microphone. These weren’t decorative afterthoughts, they were extensions of the characters themselves.
During rehearsals we worked on pacing, on how slowing down a moment, a walk across the stage, or a hesitation before a line, pulls an audience in. It builds anticipation and gives them time to absorb what is happening. Students worked on expression, on staying in character, and what it means to support a scene partner. That reminder matters most during the actual performance, when they quietly stepped in to help one another, covering a forgotten line or cuing a scene partner, just to keep the performance moving forward.
And then there was Mr. Trolly. I designed and built him specifically for this show, starting with a very clear vision. Warm in skin tone, a little human in his proportions, but with green hair and pointed ears that placed him somewhere just outside the ordinary. He was designed in the same style as the characters I illustrate. His cart was built the same way, constructed from cardboard, construction paper, and a lot of hot glue, and detailed with miniature popcorn, chocolate, and ice cream to make it feel like a real, working snack cart.
Even the older students, nine and ten year olds who you might expect to be a little harder to convince, responded with instant cheers the moment he appeared. By the end of that first practice, one group had written and performed an entirely spontaneous chant about Mr. Trolly, something they created on their own, unprompted. Sharing the stage with a live puppet created a world that felt slightly surreal and a little magical. For the younger audience on performance day, some approached Mr. Trolly cautiously, one even asking me if he was real. That reaction said everything.
Written by Karlo G.S.
Founder & Program Lead, Found Stage
Originally published in the Found Stage Magazine, Summer 2026 issue.
