Steps To The Stage
Steps To The Stage
Letting Creativity Fly: The Making of Schoolhouse Rock Live
Discover the magic of Schoolhouse Rock as our talented team discusses the evocation of childhood nostalgia and the fostering of creativity in youth theater. The episode resonates with stories that intertwine personal experiences with educational foundations in theater.
• Introduction to Schoolhouse Rock live
• The conceptual backbone of Schoolhouse Rock's storytelling
• Collaboration and mentorship in choreography and music direction
• The incorporation of educational themes in children's theater
• Personal stories connecting the hosts to Schoolhouse Rock
• Closing thoughts on the importance of nurturing young talent
Weekends March 7th through March 22nd $15 general admission -- $12 seniors and students
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So directing is like teaching, in that you're there to support, to offer guidance, to give some feedback, but to let them fly and also to let everyone fail, and by fail I mean do things in ways that don't work out, because that's how we learn and develop something new. So you got to like relax and let go and let that happen.
Speaker 2:Welcome to Steps to the Stage. A 7th Street Community Theater podcast.
Speaker 3:Hello and welcome to Steps to the Stage, the community theater podcast, where we talk to the theater professionals you know and love. I'm your host, marci, and today we are talking about Schoolhouse Rock Live. I have four friends with me. I have Donna Marley, allison and Caleb. If you would like to introduce yourselves a little bit further, go ahead.
Speaker 1:You, betcha, so glad to be here with all of you. I'm Donna Rice. I'm co-directing this wonderful show. So excited and delighted to be doing that.
Speaker 4:I'm Marlee Lane also co-directing this show, and so excited.
Speaker 5:I'm Allison Sano and I am choreographing this show.
Speaker 6:And I'm Caleb Robertson and I'm the music director for the production.
Speaker 3:Welcome all of you back to the show. A lot of repeat people here. We were just talking before we started recording, but it's very nice to have you all. So this is Schoolhouse Rock Live. This is a musical, a stage adaptation of the songs and the shorts that I think all of us have grown to know and love, especially in childhood. Did we all watch these shorts growing up? Yeah, for sure, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we were just talking about, so I'm the OG who you know, back in the 70s was watching them live On TV. These three did not exist yet at that time.
Speaker 5:No, no, no. And then I came around in the 90s and I was watching them, and then these two over here On YouTube.
Speaker 3:We had a DVD at home, my parents, we had like a box set. It was very fancy.
Speaker 5:Oh, they were like they're going to know.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I was like she has to learn, we have to teach her.
Speaker 5:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But this stuff, really the schoolhouse rock songs we know were iconic back in the day One because there were incredible professionals who were putting together these songs, these animations. So the level, the caliber, the quality was just off the charts and that there was this vision and this funding in order to put forward these educational videos that had so much kid appeal, so that generations after everybody's still singing the songs. I mean, who doesn't know Conjunction, junction and you?
Speaker 1:know, everybody's got them, they've acquired them. They're that good and that's where children's entertainment like really came alive in the 70s, also like Sesame. Street was rock and roll Electric Company came out right, oh my gosh Electric. Company. Yeah, so that was really like the foundation of some really great stuff, and so Schoolhouse Rock really has made it all come alive.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so, as we all know, these are sort of disconnected, little like standalone shorts. How are they coming together in this show to make sort of a coherent story? Yeah, how are they coming together in this show to?
Speaker 4:make sort of a coherent story. Yeah, that kind of works in with our concepts, kind of like a bunch of kids in a schoolyard.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 4:So at recess, like oh, and then something goes on, maybe a song, and we learn things. So the songs are kind of like put together because they're all learning in the schoolyard together and then, like the props they use, maybe the costumes are all what they already have there. So it's like that concept comes together with like oh, now there's a new song. So maybe the songs aren't super connected, but the kids and learning and stuff like that is connected.
Speaker 3:They are sort of the glue that holds everything together. Very fun Because the plot sort of centers on. It's like this teacher that is sort of putting a lesson together, right.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1:And he's got sort of parts of his ego or her or their. We'll see who. You know who is cast and how it's portrayed, because we've not cast yet.
Speaker 3:But they're parts of this teacher's sort of ego identity and expressions of them come to life, something like an in and out type thing where there are different emotions, totally, yeah, part of the whole Aspects of like personality and like memory. Okay, very, very fun. So, allison, you are our choreographer for this show. Would you mind talking about sort of your experiences, sort of creating the dances and things for this?
Speaker 5:Well, actually, what's really cool about this show and what we're kind of doing me and Caleb is we are actually kind of just the heads over a team of choreographers.
Speaker 3:Oh, okay.
Speaker 5:So we've taken teens in our theater and I've got four co-choreographers who are all in high school and one in college and I am kind of passing off the choreography to them while lending them an ear and an eye and kind of training them up in how to choreograph for children, how to choreograph for different genres, how to choreograph to a concept, so that they eventually can become a choreographer for the next musical and kind of be built up into theater. And Caleb's doing the same with music.
Speaker 6:Yeah, so I have three actually, one of them is Joey, and then I have two that are in high school, and so you know the idea at least. It's a little different, for, you know, choreography versus music, where we just get the score. But so I'm kind of, you know, there to support them and make sure that they have the tools that they need, that they. You know my job is more so to teach them how to teach the music, and you know, a lot of them have higher level music experience and that's sort of what they're used to working with. But it's really different when you're working with junior high and under, and so, you know, trying to get them to bridge those gaps between you know how do you get things across in different ways to different you know, students or cast.
Speaker 3:Yeah, teaching like the basics and intermediate at sort of the same group.
Speaker 5:Yeah, exactly, and I think too, for them it's more like they're busy too. So we're there to help them and support them and make sure that these kids feel completely guided in their creative process.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's like a really cool way to do it. I didn't even realize I was. That's all. Thanks to Donna and. Marley.
Speaker 1:But that's really. We love that this is happening and we love that Allison and Caleb are willing to guide and lead in this way and, of course, they're so wonderful both of them that we have absolute trust and appreciation in what they're doing. But it's really the theme of this entire show and why we're doing it. Talk about that, marlee, a little bit.
Speaker 4:And also Schoolhouse Rock has been like really not like since it came out and like more to like the younger generations. It's like a tool for teachers too, that like they use to help people. So it's funny that we're like using it as a tool to teach theater to younger people. So like that. That's cool that we keep a I like when something has like an artistic concept and like a practical life.
Speaker 1:So yeah, so I love it, love it Our particular theater, the 7th Street Theater. That really is fundamental to this theater. It has a really strong education basis. It was created.
Speaker 1:it was, as we know, it was developed by two educators, and so that really has been yeah that's been a theme and a story for everything we do and in our children's theater we are really into let's raise up and bring forward new talent, let's learn, let's grow, so much so that there are a number of people who have gone through our theater world and now exist in the professional world, a la some of these very people that I'm sitting with right now. Right, so this little gem of a theater has done some magical things and we hope to continue that tradition with this show.
Speaker 3:So you just talked about it a little bit, but would each of you mind speaking about sort of what drew you as individuals to this show? Caleb, would you like to start? Sure?
Speaker 6:I was drawn into it because, you know, the lovely Donna was kind enough to offer me the lovely Donna was kind enough to offer me.
Speaker 6:But I mean, I grew up listening to schoolhouse rock music and I think it is a very powerful and accessible show, both to teach the younger, the cast, but also with kind of what me and Allison are doing with our co-creators. You know, me and Allison are doing with our like co-creators and I think you know as to what Donna is saying, like people like me or Allison who are in the professional and Marley in this professionally as well. You know we really got our start here and we're given opportunities to do things like be student choreographers or student directors or stage managers, and so you know, part of it is to help Donna, who you know partially has given those things to me, but then to pass that on to the next generation of people. So it's kind of a continuation.
Speaker 3:The cyclical nature? I think yeah.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I think for me it's always an opportunity when Donna and Marley ask. So I rarely say no, mostly because I love working with them and also, like I used to do camps but I stopped doing camps and I miss the kids Uh, so I was like it's time, I'm ready to do this and uh, you know, kind of help, uh, a group of teens that I love and I've worked with all of them. Um, two of them were my uh dance captains for Carrie when we did it earlier this fall. So I enjoy working with people and getting to see them grow, and I've never worked with Caleb like really in this capacity.
Speaker 5:Yeah, we were just mostly in things together In things together, or he was little and I was directing. So, it's fun to be like oh, you're a grown-up now and we get to work and collaborate, so that's fun. And I think that was really. What drew me was the people.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I think also just Schoolhouse Rock in general is just fun and amazing and I love all that and I loved talking out a concept with Donna. So I think I was already excited and then now, with our ideas put into it and a concept put into it, I was very excited for like what we come, what we came up with, and I'm also going to help like design wise, as as usual, and I really like like what we came up with to do, like because I'm also going to have like a student like designer. So in every like aspect of the show there's a fun little like reaching hand out and I just love.
Speaker 4:I love stuff like that and I love shows like this that aren't like perfectly linear or like there's weird things going on and like, oh, the props are all on stage and like stuff like that just like immediately calls to me. So I think it all was like a perfect little piece that I want to pick up yeah, same, same.
Speaker 1:I agree that. Um well, one look at the talent that I'm sitting with and what they all bring to the table. These are all real pros, real visionaries, such creatives and also who are all in giving their heart and soul to something. So how lucky am I to be collaborating with these wonderful people, and I really appreciate, as I'm a longtime theater teacher. I've been doing this for a long, long, long time and one of my greatest joys are, you know, watching young talent rise up and claim their own vision and step into their own space. And these are three whom I would trust with anything and so, and I've loved seeing what they each do individually. So to have this collective, I'm like dang we are just going to put on something so glorious, it makes me so happy.
Speaker 1:I learned early on in my professional career that the best thing you can do, whatever you're doing, is surround yourself with people who you think are smarter, more creative, bring more to the table than you, that you see in that way. Exactly Look look at this. So yay, Thanks, Donna what a compliment.
Speaker 3:Oh my gosh.
Speaker 5:Yeah, geez, I'm crying.
Speaker 3:So a question that I had written down originally just for Donna was sort of what drew you to this show as a teacher, someone with that background. But as you two were just talking about sort of you're all becoming teachers when involved in this production, and I thought that was a really interesting perspective to sort of speak on, so again we can start with Donna. But I would love to know the three of you as from a teaching sort of guidance perspective, sort of what that is like, especially if it's new for the two of you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, you know, early on directing I know that I had a tendency I wanted to go, and you know, shape everything that they were doing and feed to them. This is how it led. I learned quickly that, of course, what a killer that is. It ruins all of the creativity, it shuts down so many great ideas that can come about. So directing is like teaching, in that you're there to support, to offer guidance, to give some feedback, but to let them fly and also to let everyone fail, and by fail I mean do things in ways that don't work out, because that's how we learn and develop something new. So you've got to like relax and let go and let that happen. And I think Marlee already spoke about that so beautifully, about why this education basis is so important to us. So I'm just really eager to see what comes about. Why this show? Because you know little, Donna loved this stuff like crazy.
Speaker 1:And that I get to come and put this on stage is great. But also one of my sons, our engineer joey here, um, one of his first shows was this show with the wonderful directors gracie arvizo and patty kiros, and he loved it so much and I'm like, well, yeah, that I could do this and that he is a part of it as well as one of the musical directors. It's like what a joy that is for this mama's heart.
Speaker 5:That's cool, so there you go.
Speaker 3:Again the cyclical nature of this building.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I mean, when it comes to teaching I don't know, I've yeah, I've been involved in camps and stuff, so that's similar yeah and then I think kind of what I spoke about before. I think it's also like a love letter to the teachers of the theater. Yeah, like I found like my mom's a teacher and like so it's just fun for us to like work that muscle in teaching. And for the kids I think it works better when they have a bunch of hands in helping them.
Speaker 1:Can we just say you mentioned your mom, who's like head producer who also has three producers who are training up under no four.
Speaker 4:It's four producers who are training up under her with her for this show it's across the board.
Speaker 1:Isn't that great, that's perfect.
Speaker 4:Wow, even producing teaching yeah, it's what we. Wow, even producing teaching yeah, it's what we do, yeah, yeah, and we even have yeah, because, like, maya's going to be our stage manager and I don't think she's really done it before, so it's people learning and teaching. I don't know, it's just fun, and beautiful and feels theater-y.
Speaker 5:For me. I'll be honest, like teaching is my life. This is not new to me. Okay, I've been a teacher since. I mean, my first teaching job was here when I was 17, when I did camps. So like I've been teaching here for a long time and I think all of my shows have carried that teaching aspect with it. Like I can't help it, which is why I think I partner well with people who value that. And I think I've been a teaching artist for a long time. I've taught at multiple schools and high schools. So like I kind of for me, I will always make sure that I'm teaching in some regard or that I'm being taught.
Speaker 5:And I think for this show, I'm kind of excited to be on the other end of it, of like letting these choreographers find new things and let this next generation talk to the generation underneath them and see what they're talking about and see what they're bringing to the table and what their ideas look like, so that I can kind of be in a learning position while still being a guide. You know, I think that's what's really important in this particular style of teaching which is dance, because dance is literally you have to do it. I can't do it for you. So you're going to have to use your body and your mind and then give it to me and we'll see what we can do with it. But I think teaching is just in my body. It's also generational. You know, my grandma was a teacher. I've been surrounded by teachers my whole life. Me and Marley always talk about like growing up at elementary school versus going to an elementary school is a different experience.
Speaker 5:Yes, you, know like staying at the school with your mom until 7 pm, or being a teacher who's like hey, I need help organizing these papers and you're like, I just want to go to work.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, I was grading papers in third grade.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I was grading papers with my grandma. I became a teacher's assistant, pretty early on. So, you know, I think that's kind of where I fall into. The teaching line is just like I'm just excited to see what everyone does, and now we have so many and it's like, oh, this show's going to be fun, it's going to be crazy, but it's going to be fun.
Speaker 6:Yeah, I mean I think I've done a handful of shows here. I've done lots of work with classical music and also theater in high school, why the part that I really enjoy about the teaching experience is, I think, you know, a lot of people will underestimate oh well, they're just elementary students or they're just junior high students or they're just high school students and you know, the top vision is challenge them to do more than they think they can, because they can. And I think when you really really, really really give them honest feedback and you let them try things, you let them fail, you let them learn, you give them the tools that they need, they're going to fly. And when people come to see the show or when the cast is talking about the experience of the show, they're like man. And when the cast is talking about the experience of the show, they're like man.
Speaker 6:We learned a lot and we did way more than we think we ever thought we could. And I think that's what I enjoy is seeing people sort of supersede these barriers or things that they don't think that they can achieve, when really they just need somebody there to give them a little help and I think that's what I enjoy most about the teaching experience, and I think that's what I enjoy most about the teaching experience. So I'm excited to do that in the slightly different role where I'm not directly, you know, have my hands on the music, but I've got practice my hand on the shoulder of the people touching the music, and so that'll be an interesting experience.
Speaker 1:What a cute little picture. Yeah, let's amplify something that you just talked about, Caleb, also, which is this idea of how people perceive children's theater and what children can do. This is some of the most exceptional talent One. They're very flexible, very directable, so eager to rise and explore. And the depth of understanding in their presence, with their feeling selves and their own lived experience and being present in that moment all of this is just glorious and that you can put on. Sure, you can do those shows that are kids, just 100 kids on the stage walking through the motions, and they're cute and grandma and grandpa applause. No, they can achieve such extraordinary quality that it is worth any audience's time. They would be lucky to watch these exceptional children perform. Marlee and I just directed a little show that we created. It was brand new, it was called the Show Must Ghost On and it was in. We created that for the kids because, as the camp director, Marlee and Allison saw, these kids need, like what is they need?
Speaker 4:more. They need something. Yeah, what is this thing that they can? They're so excited.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we created the show for them and, mike, I mean, it was crazy. Can we talk about like Berlin singing you know memory? And like the girl is singing memory from cats and she's on her knees and the authentic, hitting every note and we're like guys, please? And the audience is what am I seeing right now? This is what kids are capable of Extraordinary. If you give them the opportunity and you believe in them, you let them fly. Oh, my goodness, what they can do.
Speaker 5:So many times at camps we would be sitting there Because you know, camps are a week long and after a week they put on a full show, a 45-minute one act. And you're sitting there and we would be like just staring at them and like in one week they have accomplished fully, bringing in an audience and keeping them, and not just because they're their parents.
Speaker 5:We had people come back and be like, can we come to the second show? And we'd be like, yes. Or they'd be like there's only two shows and we'd be like, yeah, you know, because like they were so and they were writing the scripts, which is also like crazy yeah because, like, they actually have so many things inside of them that they can share.
Speaker 5:And when you get a group of adults which I something also about schoolhouse is like when you get a group of adults which is something also about Schoolhouse is like when you get a group of adults who go, yeah, totally, I'm on board for that they immediately are like the. It just opens up for them because someone believes in them. So like that's also part of it too, of like we're surrounded by people who believe in them. Yeah, that's beautiful.
Speaker 3:Like what a wonderful. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So Schoolhouse Rock opens March 7th yes at 7 o'clock.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, that's correct. Well done, that's good.
Speaker 3:Too detail-oriented here. Of course, thank you, the four of you, for speaking to me. Yeah, of course it was a wonderful conversation To close out the show. Would you mind talking about your favorite song of Schoolhouse Rock in the show or just as a part of the cartoon?
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, that is like. I mean, that is a Sophie's Choice there, right there. Did I overstretch on that one? No, but it's like they're all so fabulous and wonderful and everything is a delight, but I know one that's really close to my heart because also it was close to my kid's heart and he was featured in this song is Interjections, which is just I don't know. It makes me it makes me it's delightful. It makes me delightful. No, it doesn't make me delightful, but the song is delightful, it makes me feel.
Speaker 5:Delighted, delighted. Thank you.
Speaker 3:I can use my parts of speech correctly. I think I need some schoolhouse rock.
Speaker 4:Teaching everybody. Well, dad, I was like oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:How do you?
Speaker 4:pick. I have a lot of like. Three is a magic number. My dad played on guitar a lot so I love that and you know a little preamble that was actually in Wolves. Oh wait, really, I'm like obviously.
Speaker 3:I'm continuing Cinematic universe of all.
Speaker 4:I love, for sure.
Speaker 5:I actually was obsessed with a noun as a person placing it when I was a kid, but I also have a very, very special place in my heart for Three is a Magic Number, all because of Jack Black. Like it has nothing else to do with anything other than Jack Black saying that when they did School of Rock and he was making a joke and I was obsessed with that melody but I didn't know where it was from.
Speaker 5:So then, I researched it in high school, and then I would play that song while I was walking to class.
Speaker 1:Jack Black. That's a good one.
Speaker 6:I think I would. I'll make a single choice, but I was torn between preamble or conjunction function and I think I have to go with conjunction Junction. Yeah conjunction junction, just because I think it's a bit different. A lot of them have a sort of sound to them and I like that. It's got a little bit of like funk to it. Yeah, it's kind of different and I like that.
Speaker 5:I actually lied and it's just. I'm just a bill.
Speaker 6:That's actually.
Speaker 3:I forgot about that one and I'm sorry, but that one's the one.
Speaker 1:Iconic? Yeah, for sure, and that's such good stuff we to bring this to the audience.
Speaker 3:Thanks, for having us, of course. Thank you for being here. This was wonderful.
Speaker 5:Thank you, team.
Speaker 2:Team. Thanks for listening to Steps to the Stage, a 7th Street Community Theatre podcast. Follow us on your favourite podcast platform and leave us a review and a five-star rating. You can also follow us on Instagram or Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Special thanks to Chino Community Theater and Chino Community Children's Theater for their generous support. Steps to the Stage was created by Joey Rice and Kirk Lane. Logo created by Marlee Lane. Original music by Devon, your host and producer, Marci Pinedo. Engineer and producer Joey Rice. Engineer and executive producer, Kirk Lane.
