Schoolhouse Rock alive and well at Columbus theater
- August
- 16
12:40 am Live Theater
The Columbus Children’s Theatre is bringing the popular educational cartoon “Schoolhouse Rock” to life.
The program is part of its summer youth conservatory, putting on “Schoolhouse Rock Live Jr.” through Aug. 24.
Twenty-nine actors ages 10 to 16, who auditioned for the summer Youth Performance Company in April, will take the stage, imitating the Emmy Award-winning series that had its heyday in the 1970s.
The show takes the popular show and filters it through the storyline of Tom, a school teacher nervously approaching his first day of class.
“His thoughts come to life to help him teach, using the ‘Schoolhouse Rock’ songs,” said the show’s director, Angela Barch, who has been with the children’s theater since 2000.
She has directed the annual youth performance since 2004.
Led by guest actor William Salmon, in the role of Tom, the play will feature classic songs including “Conjunction Junction,” “Three is a Magic Number” and “Interjection.”
Barch said she looks forward to the youth performance each year, seeing it as hope for children interested in the arts, which are rapidly losing funding in many Ohio school systems.
“It gives young people a chance to experience the arts,” she said. “And exposes kids to live theater at a young age; they can see peer models performing material appropriate for their age, which is becoming rare.”
Tags: 1970s, actor william, actors, angela, barch, cartoon, classic songs, conservatory, magic number, performance company, rock songs, salmon, school teacher, schoolhouse rock live jrRelated posts
