Laughter and giggling filled the auditorium of Flushing Town Hall, where sixth grade students from JHS 189 waited anxiously to perform their theatrical rendition of “School House Rock Live! Junior.”
“What is the most important thing about tonight? To have energy and fun,” said the director and choreographer of the show, Warren Adams, as the students prepared to head backstage on opening night.
Students gave two evening performances of “School House Rock Live! Junior,” a show based on the 1970s educational animated series “Schoolhouse Rock,” on Thursday, June 11 and Friday, June 12.
“I was excited but kind of nervous,” said Heajin Joung, a sixth grade student from JHS 189, who acted as one of the main characters in the show.
The performances were the culmination of an after-school musical theater program, Cultural After School Adventures (CASA). CASA is part of the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts, a not-for-profit organization that sponsors different student events, such as ballroom dancing, each year.
“Arts programs help our students develop the skills needed in the 21st century, creative problem solving, effective communication, teamwork and more. These programs allow children to express themselves creatively and bolster their self-confidence,” said Agnes Kim, who spoke on behalf of Councilmember John Liu, a supporter of the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts.
Through the musical theater program, students learned about theatrical performance and production, taking on the roles of actors, stage crew workers, and chorus members.
“My favorite part was the end when we could see the whole thing put together,” said Kshitiz Sharma, a sixth grader from JHS 189, who sang and acted in the student production.
Along with the theater program, JHS 189 partners with the Flushing Council on Culture and Arts to have teaching artists visit the school on a weekly basis to help teachers develop new activity skills aimed at incorporating art in the classroom.
“Our local leaders need to push for more local art expansion,” said Adams. “More schools need this.”
Flushing Council on the Culture and the Arts offers schools on-site workshops in the visual and performing arts and guided historical tours of Flushing. The organization also offers a performance series for students, which has previously included a Taiwanese puppet show and a Peruvian jazz performance
These initiatives provide students with high quality artistic instruction and aim to bring the community together, said Steven McIntosh, the director of education at Flushing Town Hall.
The “School House Rock Live! Junior” performance seems to have met these expectations, according to the students who contributed to its success.
“It’s hard work, but in the end it’s all worth it,” said Joung.
