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Middle school drama group takes center stage
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Twenty-eight Canfield Village Middle School fifth-grade students learned there’s no business like show business during the Take 5 Musical Theatre Workshop performance Jan. 27. The students’ show was the culminating performance of a six-day musical theater workshop led by CVMS seventh- and eighth-grade drama teacher Kandace Cleland.
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Canfield Village Middle School fifth-graders Lauren Slanker (left) and Lane Taylor performed in the Take 5 Musical Theatre Workshop performance Jan. 27.
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Canfield Village Middle School fifth-grade students portrayed London orphans from “Oliver!” and sang “Food Glorious Food” during the Take 5 Musical Theatre Workshop performance Jan. 27.
By ABBY SLANKER
Twenty-eight Canfield Village Middle School fifth-grade students learned there’s no business like show business during the Take 5 Musical Theatre Workshop performance Jan. 27.
The students’ show was the culminating performance of a six-day musical theater workshop led by CVMS seventh- and eighth-grade drama teacher Kandace Cleland.
“We have a great team of kids up here,” Cleland said in welcoming students’ friends and family to the performance. “We appreciate all the parent support and we thank you all for coming tonight to see your wonderful kids perform. We have met six times and it has been a lot of fun for me to get to know many of our youngest actors.”
The students met twice a week for three weeks prior to the performance and learned to use their acting tools, body, voice and imagination, to create characters who have a story to tell through song and dance.
“The premise of the workshop is that every child who wanted to participate is in the spotlight and everyone plays a role. Tonight we enjoy the talent, energy and enthusiasm of 28 CVMS fifth-graders who have gotten a taste of what it’s like to rehearse and perform numbers for a Broadway musical,” Cleland said.
Participants included Isabella Audia, Rachel Beil, Sophia Campos, Clare Crescimanno, Brooke Crissman, Sarah Crowe, Hannah Crowe, Dominic DeRamo, Emily Duncko, Gregory Halley, Marisa Head, Madison Impton, Lauren Johnson, Nicole Joseph, Hannah Keffler, Andrew Kern, Giannah Marasovich, Jessica Megown, Isabelle Nuppnau, Katherine Roman, Lauren Slanker, Lane Taylor, Schalysse Theisler, Emily Skovran, Cami Torres, Jenna Troxil, Alexis Vernon and Britney Young.
Eighth-grade students Rosie Bresson, Kaci Carpenter, Andrew Letscher and Maddy Urig served as Drama Leaders for the workshop. Also helping with the workshop, and accompanying the students on the piano, was Jodine Pilmer.
The full company of students started the show by singing “Give My Regards to Broadway” by George M. Cohen.
The students were then split into two groups, with the first group portraying the Pick-a-Little ladies of River City, Iowa, singing “Pick-a-Little” by Meredith Wilson from “The Music Man.”
The second group of students then portrayed London orphans from “Oliver!” and performed “Food Glorious Food” by Lionel Bart.
“In an experiment with creativity, the full company will now perform a skit titled ‘Kids vs. the Sitter’,” Cleland announced.
With the students playing young children and the eighth-grade Drama Leaders playing the sitters, Cleland set up the premise of the each portion of the skit and gave the students free reign in their performance, which they grabbed and took full advantage of with a swell of creativity.
The full company then closed the show, and brought the audience to its feet, by singing “How Lucky You Are” by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens from “Seussical the Musical.”
“Most importantly, the students have gained confidence to perform for a friendly audience of over 100 people this evening. Now that’s something to make you stand up and cheer. They are all stars,” Cleland said.