June 10, 2004

‘Trophies or Ties’

Simonds Kids Opera is a learning experience for all

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

With their faces aglow and their hair spraypainted a rainbow of colors, members of Simonds Elementary School’s Kids Opera took to the stage Thursday night to perform their musical production, “Trophies or Ties,” before an appreciative crowd of parents, teachers, and fellow students.

What makes this production so unique is that it was entirely created by fourth and fifth grade students, with guidance from music teacher Terry Bermudez, resource specialist Christine Hawkins, and teachers Denise Leahy and Eric Rise. Besides writing the script, acting in, and composing the music for the show, the students also designed and constructed the sets, assisted in setting up the lighting, and selected the costumes and makeup for each role.

“It’s almost unimaginable to me that 9-, 10-, and 11-year-olds can work together as a team and show such mutual respect while taking on all of these parts and bringing them together,” enthused Simonds Elementary School Principal Linda Kakes. “The performance was terrific, but even beyond that was their working together. What a tribute to their ability and the teachers who work with them!”

This is the second year that Bermudez (or Mrs. B, as the children call her) and Hawkins have helmed a Kids Opera production, for which they received training through the New York Metropolitan Opera Guild’s Creating Original Opera grant program. “Terry and I went for a week to Tempe, Ariz., where the Metropolitan Opera taught us how to create a child-centered show,” commented Hawkins. “There’s also an advanced course we’re thinking of attending next year in New York. It’s really been a great experience.”

For the students, creating their own production initially proved challenging, related Hawkins, like when Shireen Rizvl and Albert Wu started writing. “But, after the first song, all of a sudden there was the first scene, and the next song, and it got going,” she recalled. “It was the same thing with the costume designers and the electricians.

Once they put that first plug in, and it went, it was great. I always thought the kids were fantastic, but this helps them see their potential. It’s a real confidence boost for them.”

The students themselves chose the title and theme of their production, “Trophies or Ties,” which focuses upon which of the two is truly important. In Scene One, two characters named Sally and Maddie compete for a spot in a district race, and argue over the outcome. In Scene Two, they are joined by Bob on a soccer team. Deemed inferior, Sally is teased by the others and expresses her dejection in a heartfelt solo. In Scene Three, the three play in a soccer game together, and Sally earns the respect of Maddie and Bob by scoring goals. More importantly however, Maddie and Bob learn that winning isn’t everything; friendship and cooperation are what really count.

The fourth and fifth graders worked all year on developing the production, mastering skills from carpentry to production and stage managing, not to mention teamwork and cooperation, along the way. In turn, their achievement inspired other students. One first grade class was so impressed, that its students compiled a tribute book for Mr. Rise’s class, complete with illustrations. “I really enjoyed watching the opera. I learned…in soccer, it’s not important if your team wins. It is just for fun,” wrote Bethany. “I learned that it is important to be someone’s friend,” added Natalie. “You did really good. It must have been hard work,” noted Kate. Megan and Andrew especially enjoyed the songs.

“The class is very creative,” agreed teacher Eric Rise. “They amaze me with what they come up with. Some of them just shine. The reason I do it is to be able to expose them to music and the arts. They’re also in a leadership role. The first graders wrote a book which shows how much they really look up to them, and they really got the message about cooperation.”

Kakes also appreciates what the students gained from their experience of working on the Kids Opera. “They develop a can-do attitude, the ability to work together, having a vision, and bringing it together,” she observed. “It’s fabulous what they’ve learned to do—from set designer Sydney Sun to stage manager Ben Maxwell—they took it very seriously.”

Student production manager Karin Wells was very happy with how it all turned out. “I liked being in charge of everything,” she stated. “It was really fun to have everyone working together to make the big performance.”

For Ashleigh Brendlen, who also played a goalie in the play, juggling her work as public relations officer proved challenging. “I had to do the program, send out invitations, and put posters up around the school,” she said.

“It was really fun,” voiced Kelly Witkop, who played Sally, one of the leads in the show. For Witkop, singing her sad solo was her favorite part. For Sarah Shore, who played Maddie in the play, although this wasn’t her first performance, it was the first one she’s been in that the kids created. “I’d do it again!” she asserted. “I also really liked the hair spray.”

As electrician, Evan Wandrocke learned cooperation, while co-composer Andrew Todd took it all in stride. “Ken Park and I have two years of experience between us,” commented the 11-year-old. “We set the music and chose instruments (including snare drums cymbals, and tambourines) to match the actors’ tone of voice and mood,” noted Todd.

“They each learned different things,” observed Bermudez. “For instance, the carpenters learned how to measure and cut, and put things together... but everyone learned that if things fall apart, you try again until you get it right, because the team needs each part and is depending on you. Preparing a whole opera gives them a different education than just a musical performance. They learn life lessons. There are so many facets to it, and each part is necessary. I think it builds character and the inner person. It was nice that the students chose the theme of competition and cooperation. We had a discussion focusing on what was important to their lives, and this was important to them. Even the kindergarten students got something out of it. They said they learned that it’s important to be friends and to cooperate.”