Heather Latter
Robert Moore School’s Musical Club is returning to the stage tonight and tomorrow with its rendition of Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland Jr.”
“We took a three-year hiatus,” noted teacher Hue Eldridge, who is directing the show along with fellow teacher Michelle Cain.
“Everyone was trying to regroup,” she said.
“It really requires so much time and effort.”
The club previously had presented “The Wizard of Oz” in 2009, “Annie” in 2010, and then “Charlie and Chocolate Factory” in 2011.
“But we were ready to roll again this year,” Eldridge explained, adding she feels it is important to introduce students to the arts.
“We appreciate the exposure to music that the kids get in the older grades,” she remarked.
“But we are so sports-oriented that sometimes the younger students don’t get the exposure to the arts that they should.
“And a musical really encompasses it all,” Eldridge added.
“Alice in Wonderland Jr.,” a tale written by Lewis Carroll and made into a Disney film in 1951, has it all.
Eldridge said the character of Alice chases the White Rabbit, races the Dodo Bird, gets tied up with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, raps with a bubble-blowing Caterpillar, and beats the Queen of Hearts at her own game.
The show features new arrangements of such classic Disney songs as “I’m Late,” “The Un-birthday Song,” and “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.”
“There is singing, dancing, [and] acting, plus all the work that goes on behind the stage,” Eldridge noted.
Some 42 students in Grades 3-8 have on-stage roles, with another eight are working behind the scenes.
“There are sets, props, costumes, sound, and lighting,” she explained.
Eldridge added even students with an artistic talent were recruited to help build and paint backdrops.
“It’s a really collaborative effort,” she stressed.
She also noted there are teachers, parents, and community members who have helped in a multitude of ways.
“None of it would be possible without everyone coming together,” she remarked.
But Eldridge gave the biggest kudos to the students on stage.
“I have to give praise to the children,” she enthused. “They have learned their lines, they know their dances cues, and we’re seeing more and more excitement from them as the performance draws near.
“I’m very impressed with their professionalism,” she added, noting they’ve shown plenty of dedication and commitment to the production.
“We started out working during school hours, then we began after-school practices and then added in some weekend,” Eldridge explained, thanking the parents for being so understanding and allowing them to be a part of the show.
“It’s been non-stop and they have given it their all,” she added.
“It’s been a very enriching experience.”
Eldridge noted auditions took place back in October, with rehearsals having started in November.
“Running a musical has been really great exposure for the appreciation of the arts,” she stressed, noting for many students, it provides them with an idea of what live theatre is like.
The Musical Club performed the show for their classmates this morning, then will stage it to the public tonight and tomorrow at Robert Moore School beginning at 6 p.m.
Tickets, which cost $7 for adults and $5 for children aged three-12, will be available at the door the night of each performance.
