Being 13 and dealing with middle school has its own challenges.
But throw in your parents’ divorce, a new city and a new school where you don’t know anyone and have no friends, and it makes for the musical “13 Jr.” which the Augusta JR. Players will bring to the stage Sept. 11-12.
Bowen Burgess can relate somewhat to the show’s main character, Evan.
Bowen, a sophomore at Greenbrier High School, moved to Georgia over the summer from Arizona, where she had been heavily involved in theater at school, but unlike Evan, she knew exactly where to find people with similar interests with whom she could become fast friends.
“The first thing I did was look for theater companies,” said Bowen, who plays Lucy, one of Evan’s classmates.
This production brings together students from across Richmond, Columbia and Aiken counties.. Bowen has had the chance to meet people multiple area schools.
In Arizona, she’d found a community, a theater family and believes she can find it in Augusta as well.
“I did one community theater show there, and the family that I met has been so impactful and it’s helped me learn a lot,” she said.
Bowen isn’t the only one in the cast who can relate to parts of the show.
“I would say I love the show,” said Chase Hon, a John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School freshman. “It’s a really good representation about middle school and how it can be socially awkward and just socially confusing.”
For director Dan McGill the show reminds him of a former student at Grovetown High School.
“There was a kid that I used to direct in school and he always wanted me to do ’13,’ he said.
Now that he’s finally directing “13”, that student can’t be in the show.
“He is 23. So, he’s a little too old. He was so upset that I was finally doing it but not with him,” he said.
“13 Jr.” will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11 and at 2 and 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Kroc Center. Tickets are $10-$22. Go here for tickets.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s won multiple Georgia Press Association awards, is the recipient of the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award and was named best local writer by readers of Augusta Magazine in 2024 and 2025. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here
