Horace Mann students and staff are hard at work under the sea rehearsing for a performance of Disney and Pixar's Finding Nemo KIDS, fueled by a special grant from Disney itself!
The musical, showing 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 4 at West Middle School, is being put on thanks to the "Stage Connect" program launched by Disney this school year.
The program allows selected schools to perform a special 30-minute version of a Disney musical crafted specifically for elementary school performers. The selected schools are provided free licensing and materials. Horace Mann was one of 71 schools selected for the first phase of the program.
As part of the program, teachers are also provided with online courses and resources to help produce the show, including demonstrations and live workshops with members of the Disney Stage Connect Team and performers from the Broadway production of The Lion King.
"We met on Zoom with members of the team, and the other schools in New York that are in program," said Beth Baldwin, Assistant Director and Stage Crew Manager.
"I also had a 1 on 1 zoom with Lyndsey Anderson who adapted the play to kids. She gave us great ideas for practicing in one space when we have to perform in a separate space."
Unlike many elementary-level performances, the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students involved in the performance also do much of the work directing, creating choreography, set and costume design, sound, and stage management themselves.
"Working with Disney Stage Connect has been an amazing experience," said Valerie Relyea, a music teacher at Horace Mann Elementary who serves as music director for the performance.
"I have learned so much about producing, directing and staging an elementary musical through not only their online training program but also from Tania Hakkim, our Disney Teaching Artist. I am looking forward to continuing to apply what I have learned next year, Year 2 of the 3-year grant program. "
Thank you to all of the Horace Mann Elementary teachers, administration, family members, and students who came together to make this performance possible!