Lynn Woods students rocking the schoolhouse

LYNN – Singing, dancing, laughing and learning are all part of this year?s Lynn Woods Elementary School drama production of “Schoolhouse Rock.”Roughly half of the school?s 150 students are participating in the production.Wrangling a group of more than 70 students from kindergarten to fifth grade is a brave task to take on, but for parent volunteers, Wendy Whitcomb and Shauna Hemenway, the task is as rewarding as it is challenging.?Seeing the kids faces light up on stage is adorable,” said Whitcomb. “We really want to nurture their talent at a young age and to have them be a part of something.”Whitcomb and Hemenway volunteered four years ago to start a drama club at the school in an effort to allow the students to get exposed to theatre and the arts while they?re young.Four years and four productions later, the productions have raised enough money for the school to be able to purchase a new set of stage curtains.?That was a great feeling knowing that we started this club and can now give back and improve the school,” said Hemenway.But new curtains aren?t the only advantage that has derived from the Lynn Woods Drama Club.Whitcomb says witnessing the team-building and camaraderie that students engage in during rehearsals is the best part.?They are learning how to perform, how to talk to each other and are gaining a sense of self-respect and respect for others,” she said. “These kids are pretty young and they have such different personalities, but they understand how to interact with each other.”Whitcomb says the majority of the students in the play don?t play sports or do any after-school activities, so being involved in drama gives them a sense of community they might otherwise not experience.?This gives them something to look forward to and might give them a chance to develop a passion for something at a young age,” she said.The students have attended different sets of group rehearsals for an hour a day since mid-September .This week all of the students attended slightly longer rehearsals .?We broke the students up and rehearsed in different groups so it would be easier to maintain their attention,” said Whitcomb. This week, she says, the group rehearsals have been “pretty wild,” because of the anticipation of opening night. “They are all so excited for the show,” she said. “You would think after being in school all day that (students) would get here and not want to do much, but they are so energetic and ready to go. They can?t wait for the curtains to open.”Fourth-grader Angelo (A.J.) Mariano says he?s proud he?s been able to memorize all of the words to the songs and all of the dance numbers.?It?s hard to remember it all, but I practice at home too,” he said. “I love singing and dancing. I can?t wait to hear people clapping at the end. I will feel so proud.”Mariano?s friend, Charlize Robson, also a fourth-grader, says she loves the “attitude” that her character has.?It?s fun to act like someone else,” she said.Fourth-graders Renae Newman, Hannah Trahant and Amanda Wilkins are all veterans of the drama club and have been a part of it since they were in kindergarten; the first year the club began.?I like learning new songs,” said Newman. “And I have made new friends.”Hannah Trahant says dancing is her favorite part. “I could dance all the time,” she said.George Kent?s third grade niece is in the production this year for her third year in a row.?This is a great program,” he said. “She loves it. She comes home excited after every rehearsal and looks forward to it every day.”?Schoolhouse Rock” was selected this year for its “education” theme, says Hemenway, and ended up having just the right amount of lead characters.?The play has six lead roles and we have five fifth-graders this year so they all got a lead part,” she said. “It was great to be able to do that. We want to reward them for being committed since most of them have been doing this since the first year.”Tickets for the performance went on sale three weeks ago and sold o