Our Fifth Grade class presented their “History Comes Alive” play at the Norris Theatre in Rolling Hills Estates last week. Mrs. Kat Banales, our language arts enrichment teacher, took it upon herself this past winter break to basically rewrite the play – it was immensely innovative and a smashing success! Mrs. Banales shares with us her view of the process:
“The purpose of performing ‘History Comes Alive’ is to integrate ‘living history’ into the Fifth Grade curriculum while building social/emotional skills driven through the arts. By combining disciplines, our PHS students create life-long memories throughout the process.” “Nine years ago, Mrs. Lynn purchased the musical script from Bad Wolf Press and performed the original musical at the Norris. Each year hence, we have augmented the script by removing and adding new scenes and enhanced others to give each new performance a distinct flavor. In keeping many of the original songs, we have provided continuity for our alumni who continue to support the play and relive their own magical moment.”
“Although I have been kindly credited for the consecutive revisions, it is really a collaborative effort involving Mrs. Lynn, Mrs. Wilcox, and myself. Each year our process begins with a production meeting to discuss our content direction and what we would like to explore further. This is where our individual personalities really shine through. We all have unique ideas to bring to the table. After much deliberation and laughter over fond memories, I set to my task of incorporating these raw concepts into workable dialogue that supports our curriculum accompanied by a healthy dose of humor. Creating a script that showcases the individual strengths and talents of each student is a major consideration when I sit down to make revisions and this year’s “overhaul” is no exception.” “Music is of itself, a universal storyteller and I would be remiss if I didn’t capitalize on that fact. Writing “piggy-back” songs such as “Philly PA” was a blast! Honestly, once I got started, I found it difficult to rein myself in. Including varied genres of music, and having them taught to the children by Mr. Charlie Miller, dramatically added to the overall enjoyment and success of the show. I believe that everyone heard at least one song that they could relate to on an emotional level.”
“There are also so many others who contribute to the show in so many amazing ways including (and not limited to) Mrs. Terry Metzenbaum with all the props and details, Mrs. Kim Nygaard and Mrs. Bridget Vetterlein with their beautiful photographs, Mr. Dave Cullum with his rehearsal assistance, the parents with all their wonderful help and generosity, the faculty and staff who expertly assist backstage, and of course you, the enthusiastic audience, who comes to enjoy the presentation.”
“Over the years the play has evolved into a living, breathing entity that continues to challenge our children and delight audiences of all ages. It has been a pleasure and privilege to be part of such a dynamic team.”