While rehearsing choreography for the Lippman School’s unique “Aleeza” theater production, several kids started to spontaneously perform popular line dances. About 10 students joined in, doing the dances to “Cotton Eye Joe” and “Macarena”— and some of the moves made it into the musical. Every Lippman School theater production is a take on a traditional tale, with the script, choreography, music, staging and more shaped by input from students and teachers.
“Kids bring their own ideas of ways we can make it more creative or contemporary,” says Sarah Greenblatt, the theater director and a Hebrew and music teacher. “They feel good when they are listened to, and they can feel their creativity is really respected.”
Involvement in the annual spring theater production is open to all students, teachers, staff members and parents. Greenblatt teaches her transitional K through fourth grade students songs and dances that make it into the show — and works with middle schoolers in Lippman’s elective Drama Club to put it on. Eighth grader Jacob Shkolnik has been involved in theater every year since transitional K. In “Aleeza,” he played Jack of Hearts.
“I like to get myself out in our community,” he says. “That’s why I like to be in the play — to show off my talent."
That same year, he took on the responsibility of being stage crew captain, getting props and set pieces in place for each scene.
“I like ... making sure everything gets on and off stage easily and properly and making sure we have everything ready for all the other scenes,” he says.
For “Aleeza,” Greenblatt wrote unique lyrics to a song about a jabberwocky, a fictional beast, and set it to the “Ghostbusters” theme music. It featured lyrics such as, There’s something strange in wonderland.What is it called? Jabberwocky!
Another way Lippman makes its theater program distinct is by having the students perform each production in English, Spanish and Hebrew.
“It really represented our school of being supportive of both Hebrew and Spanish in our curriculum but also making it possible for everyone in our community to participate equally,” Greenblatt relates.
This spring’s production is“Supercalifragilistic.” Shkolnik is planning to return to his stage crew role. Many students keep coming back to drama because they enjoy teamwork and have so much fun exercising their creativity.
“They learn to build their confidence onstage,” says Greenblatt. “I always push the kids that I believe in them and for them to believe in themselves.”
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