After Covid put their 2020 performance plans on hold, the pandemic wasn't going to stop Lower and Middle School's fantastic production of Madagascar in 2021.
Featuring 74 students from Grades 1-6, staff and students alike were excited for the curtain to rise on their performance, based on the 2005 animated film.
"It was so good to get back to some sort of normality, first by holding auditions and then with the start of the rehearsal process," says Lower School Performing Arts teacher, Susan Graver.
"A number of members of the 2020 cast of Madagascar kept their original parts, but many auditioned for new parts and were joined by a large group of new cast members. Finding emerging talent among our cast is so exciting. It brought yet another dimension to the experience, working with the older students alongside the younger ones."
Susan Graver was joined by colleagues, Teresa Jankowska (Lower School Performing Arts teacher) and Dalene DuPaisi (Middle School Performing Arts teacher) on the production.
Teresa explains what makes these productions so special.
"One of our top aims is to make the production as authentic a theatre experience as possible, not just a school show. Sue, Dalene and I all have backgrounds in performing arts and various areas of expertise. We thrive on bouncing ideas off each other to make the best decisions about staging, acting, dancing and everything else.
"We enjoy the process immensely, enjoy working together and hopefully our enthusiasm makes it a fun, memorable learning experience for the children. We see them gain a lot of confidence, form friendships with children they might not otherwise know, and work hard together to make something magical happen.
"No matter their age differences, the children all have a lot of respect for each other — they are all part of something bigger than themselves. It is extremely rewarding. Despite being originally from different continents, we are so lucky to be at the same school now and be the team we are."
To say the show was fabulous is an understatement! I thoroughly enjoyed it and was amazed at the talents and skills demonstrated by the children. I told my children this is better than many Broadway shows that we have watched . These kids are Broadway material!
However, all was not lost for the original cast, whose show was cancelled in March 2020, just one week away from the performances. The students in the cast of Madagascar 2020 got to record themselves at home singing several of the show songs, which were then made into a video montage and became a wonderful memory for the cast.
