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Monday's Internet Edition, January 05, 2009.
CRES Drama Club director looking for volunteers
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Photo courtesy to River Valley Times
Cosumnes River Elementary School PTA Drama Club students read through a script during an afterschool rehearsal for their spring 2009 play 'Date with Disney, the Musical.'
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By Andrew Greene
River Valley Times Staff
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Cosumnes River Elementary School (CRES) Drama Club Director Jamie Tibbetts said that the club is looking for volunteers to help with the production of the school’s spring musical in the upcoming year. “In February, we will need people who have Tuesdays free to assist with the sound, the spot and main lighting,” Tibbetts said.
She added that the sound was her main worry and what she needs the most help with to make the show a success. “I’ve still got to get educated with body microphones," Tibbetts said. "My biggest fear is that they’ll cut out and we’ll end up relying on just the children’s voices during the shows.”
In addition to its technical needs, the CRES Drama Club has yet to acquire all of the costumes, accessories and props that it will need for the musical. “We are still harvesting costumes, props and accessories, so we truly appreciate people bringing whatever they can donate to the drop box in the hallway near the school’s office,” Tibbetts said.
The director added that, although the production continues to look for assistance, there has been some great support already provided. “We’ve already been wonderfully blessed to have Lisa Wooden working with our kids as a vocal coach, and Cat Lanzaro is helping with the costumes,” Tibbetts said.
The production will be titled “Date with Disney, the Musical,” and is slated to run during a daytime school assembly on Thursday, March 26 and twice on the evening of Friday, March 27. The latter two shows are open to CRES families and the community at large.
The musical will star 24 characters played by students from grades four through six - the grade levels of the CRES Drama Club members. Tibbetts said that she is also going to ask for some third graders to join the production as stagehands and extras.
Tibbetts said that she scripted the play herself with the goal of making her last year as CRES PTA Drama Club director easier than past years. “Children remember songs much easier than they remember dialogue and lines," Tibbetts said. "We're doing songs and dance routines that we all already know and already love.”
Tibbetts said she has had "a blast" working with the CRES Drama Club for the last five years. She started as a director’s assistant when her daughter was in second grade. Two years later she became the director, and now she is hoping to find another volunteer to pass the torch to before her daughter moves on to Albiani Middle School next autumn.
Reflecting on her experience, Tibbetts said, “This is a wonderful set of skills for all kids this age to have. I started working with the club and just learned on the fly as an assistant and by trial and error as a director.”
The CRES Drama Club meets for one hour and 45 minutes every Tuesday after school. The director said that she also assigns script memorization and practice as homework during the week.
The young actors do all of their readings and rehearsals in classrooms. This, according to the director, leads to some unique challenges. “Whatever we put up for rehearsal, we’ve got to take down at the end," she said. "Also, working in classrooms is difficult since the kids are such visual learners and not rehearsing on the actual stage in the multipurpose room makes it harder for them. But, thankfully, I’ve been informed that we will be able to start rehearsing in the multipurpose room in January.”
Director Tibbetts said that anyone who would like to assist with the production can contact her at 354-1426.
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