SchoolHouse Rock, Live!
FOR THE ANTIGO TIMES
The Laona and Wabeno Rebel Drama and Music Departments are presenting the musical SchoolHouse Rock, Live! at the Nancy Volk Auditorium at Wabeno High School on March 10-13, 2022.
SchoolHouse Rock, Live! features several favorite SchoolHouse Rock songs that began airing on television in 1973 during Saturday morning cartoons. The musical version was created by Theatrebam and premiered in 1993 at Chicago’s Cabaret Voltaire Theatre.
About the Show and the Rebel Cast:
The storyline in the musical is about Tom Morton (Matthew Majestic), a new teacher, who is stressed about starting his first day of school. He has awakened early to prepare for this special day and begins to doubt his abilities to be a successful teacher. He even tries out a few rehearsed greetings delivered to an imaginary class of students, but he gets frustrated and decides to take a break and turn on the television. To his surprise and delight, a SchoolHouse Rock video is showing. He soon finds himself completely engaged and participating in the songs with the help of six characters who represent the different sides of his personality: Al, his laid back and fun loving side (Alex Adamczyk), Dean, his mature side (Shane Mason), Dori, his goofy side (Nat Johnson), George, his romantic side (Hailey Krueger), Joe, his cool side (Ted Gust), and Schulie, his sweet side (Sunshine Nelson).
As the musical progresses, and with the help of his “personalities,” Tom begins to realize that he actually learned a lot of valuable and educational lessons by watching the SchoolHouse Rock videos. By the end of the show, he has regained his confidence and looks forward to starting his new career as an elementary school teacher.
Over twenty SchoolHouse Rock songs appear in the show, including several favorites: “Just a Bill,” “Conjunction Junction,” and “Interjection.” Audience members of all ages are welcome to attend and are even encouraged to sing along with the cast, should they desire to do so.
The Rebel Musical Chorus and Crew:
Other students involved in the show are the chorus: Skyray Denny-Wilson, Kayona Hawkins, David Nelson, and Sky Retzlaff. The student Scenic Designer and painter is Kierra O’Keefe. Assisting with the scenery and props construction are Sarah Gouge, Lauren Harris, Symone Pemma, Araena Soman, and Aurora Thundercloud. Sunshine Nelson is managing and also creating many of the slide projections used throughout the production.
Also assisting with the design for some of the props are the WHS eighth grade art students under the direction of WHS art teacher, Breanna Kanak. The following group of students painted the denominations of three used in “Three is a Magic Number”: Westin Bohl, Sierra Carpenter, Sidney Daniels, Abigail Enchautegui, Brady Ferrington, Alivia Harris, Niya Frank, Sawyer Jameson, Summer Moravec, Mitsuki Nelson, Hailey Planasch, Shaina Shepard, Bailey VanEperen, and Autumn Warden. This group of students created the “planets” used in “Interplanet Janet”: Destiny Dudek, Miley Godin, Breanna Harris, Maximus Clark, NolanMilham, Levi Newman, Zyon Pemma, Jedidiah Sarratt, Makenzie Tucker, Yukon Volk, and Mazzie Williams.
The lighting is being managed by the Beaber siblings: Kelsey Beaber is the principal lighting technician, with Kiana and Kyra Beaber assisting on spotlight.
The Rebel Musical Musicians and Directors:
Members of the WHS band, under the direction of WHS Band Director, Michelle Boor, will be accompanying some of the numbers: Braden Brauer, Nathan Deer, Ozari Ventura Bishop, Danny Harris, and Jaclyn St. Peter. Both Michelle Boor and her husband, Jason Boor, will also be assisting with the accompaniment.
WHS music teacher, Charisa Statezny, has been teaching the cast the music, and the cast is incredibly fortunate to be working with professional dancer and choreographer, Rian Schaible, assisted by WHS Social Studies teacher, Stephanie Schmidt. Costumer, Raletta Ashbeck, is putting together and creating the perfect costume items for each character.
The Rebel Musical Dinner Theatre Package:
Last fall’s Dinner Theatre Package was such a hit that we are offering another one before Saturday and Sunday’s performances of the musical. The WHS Foods Department and FCCLA students (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America), under the direction of Family and Consumer Education teacher, Kathy DeBoth, are creating a Dinner Theatre Package featuring a menu of American cuisine that has been inspired by the multi cultures referenced in the SchoolHouse Rock songs.
The Foods 2 students are doing all the cooking–Bailey Blasing, Gabby Brehmer, Destiny Gilligan, Sylis Louis, and Kierra O’Keefe–and the FCCLA students are serving the dinner and also assisting in the preparation–Cheyenne Blasing, Cherish Erickson, Lauren Harris, Jenna Monnot, Kierra O’Keefe, Jade Sommer, and Aurora Thundercloud.
Performance and Ticket Information:
Performances will be held at the Nancy Volk Auditorium located in Wabeno High School, 4325 Branch Street, Wabeno, WI 54566 on Thursday-Saturday, March 10-12, 2022 at 7:00 PM and on Sunday, March 13, 2022 at 2:00PM.
The Dinner Theatre Package–which includes a dinner and admission to the show–is being offered at 6:00PM on Saturday, March 12 and at 1:00PM on Sunday, March 13 (one hour before the performance).
General Admission tickets to the show are $10.00, and the Dinner Theatre Package (which includes one dinner and general admission ticket to the show) is $15.00. General Admission tickets may be purchased at the door, but reservations for the Dinner Theatre tickets are encouraged by March 8.
To reserve Dinner Theatre tickets, please contact the school at (715) 473-5122, extension 5106, or send an email to the show director, Janet DeJean Newton at [email protected]. Any other questions may also be directed to these contact options.
PLEASE become a “Friend” of the Laona and Wabeno Rebel Drama and Music Departments:
Fortunately, all revenue from ticket sales helps to fund future Rebel Drama stage productions, but having a little more of a cushion would really help to improve future productions. We hope you will consider becoming a “Rebel Drama Department Friend” and/or purchasing advertising in the play programs. Please contact Rebel Drama Director, Janet DeJean Newton, for more information ([email protected]).