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Opening Night: Drama club premieres with ‘Oz’
Drama club premieres with ‘Oz’
The club is a chance for the community and school to come together for the students.
CAMPBELL — The first production of the Campbell Elementary and Middle School Drama Club, “The Wizard of Oz,” is at 7 p.m. today and Saturday in the school’s cafetorium.
Creation of a drama club for the elementary and middle schools, with pupils in grades three through eight, was the brainchild of teachers Annette Tovarnak and Janyce Sikora, both Campbell natives. They graduated from Campbell Memorial High School in 1996 and 1976, respectively, and received degrees in elementary education from Youngstown State University.
“The idea for a drama club for the elementary and middle school was inspired by seeing a production at Campbell High School last fall, said Tovarnak, a fourth-grade teacher.
“A few days later, we found we were both thinking along the same lines,” said Sikora, a sixth-grade language arts teacher.
The drama club has a number of purposes and goals, they said.
“We saw a vision for the kids, an opportunity for them to show their talents in areas outside the classroom. We mentioned the idea to them and they were very enthusiastic,” Sikora said.
The club also provides the chance for the community and school to come together for the pupils and for the teachers and staff to get to know one another better, they said.
Parents are making some of the costumes, and other teachers have worked on the production. A number of parents have helped supervise during rehearsals and have helped design, build, paint and sew, and have been kind and generous with donations, the teachers said.
“That was our whole point. We wanted to unite students and teachers and the community. We wanted everybody to see what the students could do if given an opportunity,” Tovarnak said.
The drama club is already paying dividends for pupils too, the teachers said.
For example, Rita Black, a seventh-grader who is a high achiever in the classroom but was extremely quiet, auditioned and won the lead role of Dorothy and will sing a solo.
Other leading roles include the Tin Man, played by Zackery Bruce, eighth grade; the Lion, Karen Kocanjer, sixth grade; and Scarecrow, Themelina Xenikis, eighth grade. Dre Kelley, a sixth-grader, will sing a solo, “Kansas City,” during intermission.
They will be joined by a cast of about 35, including a bunch of Munchkins, and 30 pupils who worked in the production’s background.
Tovarnak and Sikora said many teachers and staff also worked hard on the production. They particularly noted Eric Gonzalez, the school’s technical coordinator, who is doing the lighting and sound; and teachers Jeff Olsavsky and Melissa Chetsko, “who gave so much of their time and talents.”
“They have provided all the help needed with painting and props and have worked diligently with the soloists,” Tovarnak said. “Also, we’ve reached out to a myriad of parents who have been dedicating their time supervising during practices, and have also helped design, build, paint, sew, etc. Our fabulous community has also been so kind and generous with donations.”
Tovarnak and Sikora said their goal is to take the pupils in the play to a production of “The Wizard of Oz” at the Carousel Theatre in Akron in August.
“We are very enthusiastic and excited about opening night [tonight] and the future of the drama club,” Tovarnak said.
Tickets, which are $5 for adults and $3 for students and children, are available at the door. The school is located at 2002 Community Circle off Struthers-Liberty Road.
“The Wizard of Oz” is based on L. Frank Baum’s fairy tale, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” which was first published in September 1900.
alcorn@vindy.com