Bringing Broadway to Beverly Hills

The Salter Family Theater was packed Monday night when instructor Jenny Gordon told the audience, "Sit back, relax and enjoy the bright lights of Broadway."

For the first time, students from the city's four K-8 schools showed off their singing and acting talents together by participating in the "Taste of Broadway" ensemble at Beverly Hills High School.

Gordon's after-school program—which is affiliated with the city's community services department—began eight years ago when the professionally trained musical theater actress returned to her hometown of Beverly Hills. Gordon hopes to expand the program while teaching at Hawthorne next year, and one day aspires to open her own musical theater school.

"The arts are suffering right now, which is why I do this," she said. "It creates a safe environment for people to explore who they are."

From the time students marched down the center aisle in the opening number, the young performers brought charisma and confidence to their entertaining renditions of Broadway classics such as "Master of the House" from Les Miserables and "Tevye's Dream" from Fiddler on the Roof. More modern songs such as "I Know It's Today" from Shrek the Musical and "Omigod You Guys" from Legally Blonde were also performed.

"These kids accomplished things that a lot of professional musical theater people have difficulty with," Gordon said after the performance. "I was just beaming with pride."

Daniel Kohanbash, 9, has participated in five musical performances with Gordon. He sang the Chess solo "Anthem."

"It's just a time to sing along with your fellow actors and express who you really are," said Daniel, a Beverly Vista fourth-grader."The whole experience was just phenomenal."

Daniel's younger brother Aaron, 8, also performed. They were one of seven sets of siblings who sang "Anything You Can Do" from Annie Get Your Gun.

"I love the teamwork and getting to meet new friends," said Jonina Saschik, 10, who sang onstage with younger sister Benni.

"I thought the show was fantastic," said their mother Rikki Safchik. "You can sit through it 10 times and still love it."

The variety of musical numbers and Gordon's "perfect balance of nurture and demand" contribute to the success of the program, Safchik said.

Gordon dedicated Monday's performance to outgoing Beverly Vista Principal Erik Warren, who she said has created a safer learning environment for students. Warren volunteers to videotape the "Taste of Broadway" shows to help archive the performances.

"It's serious business done in a lighthearted way," Warren said of the after-school program. "It's not so much that they learn to perform, they also perform to learn."

He said students have gained pride, self-confidence and teamwork skills by participating.

Popping up throughout the show were props such as blow-up guitars for Grease, pink hair bows for Legally Blonde and plastic gold tiaras for Shrek the Musical, a few simple touches that added a lot of character to the performances.

As the evening wrapped with "Anything Can Happen" from Mary Poppins, audience members gave a standing ovation, clapping on beat to the final number as they stood and cheered.

"The shows get better and better," said an appreciative Carol Lande, who once sang and performed with Gordon's parents. "There's a lot of talent this year."