Scotland 5th Graders Go Retro

At Scotland Elementary School, fifth graders are busy tie-dying shirts, creating protest signs and singing Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" as they prepare for a June 17 performance of an original play in which all 76 fifth graders have an onstage part.

The play is called "The Magical Mystery Hippie Tour: A Historical and Musical Revue of the 1960s." In keeping with the participatory nature of this production, it was written by Scotland fifth grade teacher Thomas DiMarzo.

The play is about a fifth grade boy who has waited too long to start work on his history project on the '60s. The night before the project is due, he wishes he could see the decade for himself. His wish comes true in the form of three hippie ghosts who take him back in time.

Mr. DiMarzo said he was inspired to write the play both because as a history teacher he believes the 1960s are a time of particular significance and because he wanted to see every child have the experience of an onstage role. 

"Too many times, the talented students get the parts. In the elementary school, this can frustrate many children to give up on theater," DiMarzo said. "When this happens, it is a great injustice and disservice to those students."

Not only will every student be on stage, but the fifth graders will also be involved in the entire play process.

DiMarzo spent several months mentally constructing the concept and the characters and then writing the play at home and at school during lunch and after class. Once it got rolling he was writing the 21-page play "everywhere and anywhere."

Parents and students are buzzing about the upcoming production.

"There seem to be a number of factors that make this play special," parent Dorian Peckham said. "It was written by one of their teachers, which I believe makes it more unique and personal for the students. Although it is about a time that may seem long, long ago to an 11 year old, the students seem to be excited to relive all the different aspects of the '60s."

When asked what she thought made the play interesting for the students, fifth grader Eleanor Keyes said, "How many parts there are, so that people can have more than one part and everybody is participating."

Both Scotland music teacher Jim Tornatore and DiMarzo noted that the 1960s was a time filled with important and tragic events.

"It was a time of idealism, when people stood up for what they believed in," DiMarzo said. "During the year, I cover the civil rights movement in great detail with the students. What better way to convey the message of standing up in the face of injustice than to perform a play about the decade that changed America forever?"

Tornatore, who chose the music with DiMarzo, said the show includes everything from the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Who to "those fabulous" Motown songs. Students will sing the classics and, in some cases, students will act the part of the artists who originally performed them.

Student Joseph Newborn, who plays James Brown performing "I Got You" in the play, couldn't agree more.

"I think it's fun to learn about the music that they played back then. The songs were mostly dance songs but some of them were about love too."

DiMarzo stressed that it takes a team to put on any production. Principal Mark Solomon has been enthusiastic and supportive from the beginning, he said, as have parent volunteers.

Wendy Hamann, third grade teacher, has been helping with costumes and many of the musical acts. Fifth grade teacher Cheryl Osher has been working with the students on four commercials from the 1960s that will be performed during set changes. Amanda Pasquarella, a fifth grade teacher who is currently on maternity leave, has nonetheless come in to teach the opening dance scene to a group of students.

Kristen Hedlund-Esemplare has a fifth grader at Scotland Elementary School.