Each year the staff at the Mettawee Community School (MCS) wonders if it’s worth the effort. During the days following Thanksgiving, the entire school focuses its attention on the production of the annual all-school musical. In just a few short weeks there are lines to learn, songs to rehearse, sets to design, costumes to make, squiggly kids to choreograph, and practice, practice, practice!
And after this year’s production of Rainbow Fish, based on the children’s book of the same name, the answer is once again a resounding, “YES!”
“I loved seeing shy and reserved kids break out of their shell and find their confidence on the stage,” said MCS musical teacher Lisa Hoyt, who directed the musical. “I loved seeing mixed groups of students work together to develop their characters and scenes. This has been a very meaningful performance for everyone.”
The storyline delivers a simple, but heartfelt message. The Rainbow Fish is the most beautiful fish in the sea, but also terribly vain and unhappy without any friends. The colorful vertebrate consults with a wise octopus, who encourages his client to share its beauty by giving away its radiant scales to other fish in the sea. By sharing, the Rainbow Fish finds friendship and discovers that true happiness comes from within and from giving to others, not from being the most beautiful.
“The kids put on a phenomenal magical performance,” said Mettawee Principal Brooke DeBonis, “and the crowd loved it. ”
In the Mettawee tradition, every student from Pre-K to 6th grade played a role in the production. A core set of featured players performed musical numbers supported by singing and dancing classmates in all grades decked out in colorful costumes. In one example of the creative staging, the octopus is constantly surrounded by other performers who play the role of his tentacles.
As always, the school staff weighed in with priceless contributions to the musical. In addition to the work of director Hoyt, the school’s art teacher Amy Harris created the colorful set design that used neon paint and the help of her students to portray an illuminating, colorful underwater world. Librarian Amanda Bickford and paraeducator Kelli Lewis led the work on crafting costumes with the help of the rest of the Mettawee staff. School nurse Mandy Mayer, meanwhile, moved the show along with her delightful performance on piano.
“The play delivered a powerful message to our kids and the audience that they can take with them as they move ahead into the future,” said DeBonis. “Giving feels good.”
(Photo above: The glamorous Rainbow Fish discovered that sharing leads to happiness.)
The Starfish (center) performs with the help of two “Barnacles.”
The colorful Rainbow Fish consults with a wise octopus, who encourages his client to share its beauty by giving away its radiant scales to other fish in the sea.
The Angelfish and Pufferfish delight the crowd with dancing and singing.
The beautiful Rainbow Fish discovered that sharing leads to happiness.
The Pre-Kindergarten students open the show performing as a swarm of giggly fish with red bandanas.
In one example of creative staging, the Octopus (in purple on the right) is constantly next to other performers who play the role of his tentacles.
The school’s art teacher Amy Harris created the colorful set design that used neon paint and the help of her students to portray an illuminating, colorful underwater world.