Student actors let it rock, old school style
Sherbill ‘09 brings ‘Schoolhouse Rock’ to the stage to cultivate the arts in local elementary schools
By Brenna English-Loeb
Staff Writer
Recall the days of watching the educational “Schoolhouse Rock” animated videos as a child. At the time, they probably seemed like obvious ploys to trick you into learning about grammar, math and even the government, but you sang along anyway, mouthing the lyrics to the catchy songs over and over again.
Revamping those age-old videos, “Schoolhouse Rock Live” has a completely different feeling—a feeling of fun nostalgia.
The small cast consists of Nicole Brancucci ’09, Elizabeth Burdick ’12, Cameron Simcik ’12, Sarah Nochenson ’10, Joe De Metro ’09 and Josh Dickinson ’09. Dickinson plays Tom, a new teacher, and the others represent components of his unconscious helping him rediscover why he decided to become an elementary teacher.
The show brims with enthusiasm and energy, and there is never a dull moment. The actors wear simple costumes of jeans and brightly colored T-shirts spiced up with capes or conductor’s hats. Consisting of a large sign reading “Schoolhouse Rock Live” and several brightly colored boxes containing hidden, prop-storing compartments, the simple set is creatively transformed into many different scenes.
This shortened production of “Schoolhouse Rock” runs just under an hour to accommodate an elementary school period. The remaining songs include well-remembered favorites such as “Just a Bill,” with an updated nod toward President Barack Obama, and “Interplanet Janet,” explaining why Pluto is no longer considered a planet. Other fun and catchy tunes are “Verb: That’s What’s Happening,” “A Noun is a Person, Place or Thing,” “Zero, My Hero,” “Conjunction Junction” and “Interjections.”
The “Schoolhouse Rock Live” production has been on tour in area schools, including Chief Shikellamy Elementary School, Baugher Elementary School and Riverside Elementary School, and will be finishing the show’s run at the University.
Designed as part of her senior project, Rachel Sherbill ’09 produced this performance with the help of director Emily Panik ’10 and musical director Christina Butera ’09. Sherbill decided on “Schoolhouse Rock Live” because it was a good medium to “enhance and encourage theater arts within the Susquehanna Valley community,” she said.
Senior projects for theater majors are long-term and highly involved.
Because each performance is free of charge, this project has been supported by generous funding from the University’s Association for the Arts and will hopefully reach out to 1,500 local students.
“I hope that by viewing the show, the students will be motivated to express their own creativity and individual spirit,” Sherbill said.
The cast was very enthusiastic about reaching out to these students.
“The thought of bringing theater to the lives of ... children was something that seemed very important and extremely rewarding,” Simcik said.
De Metro expressed a similar sentiment.
“It is really rewarding, especially when the kids gets really involved in it,” De Metro said. “They don’t normally get this opportunity.”
Area students may not get the same nostalgic kick out of “Schoolhouse Rock Live” that the University students will, but the obvious fun the cast has on stage surely will entertain.
“Schoolhouse Rock Live” will be performed tomorrow and Sunday at 2 p.m. in Harvey M. Powers Theatre.
