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Health & Fitness

After School Drama Programs are a Hit in Santa Monica

It takes a well organized and talented person to teach drama to middle and elementary school kids. Chad Scheppner is making his mark in Santa Monica as a director and instructor.

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of seeing a production of “Bye, Bye Birdie” presented by the Lincoln Drama Club. For many of the 6th - 8th grade actors, this was their first real stage production, and they did a terrific job.

 Steering this theatrical ship was director Chad Scheppner who took over the club in late January. Chad is a veteran drama teacher in Santa Monica. Since 2005, he has been teaching CREST Enrichment’s Creative Dramatics for Kindergartners and Musical Theater, an 8-week after school class where kids in 1st – 5th grade meet once a week to work on a Broadway musical culminating with a performance on the final day. This spring they are working on “Cinderella”.   

 Many of the students who had leading roles in “Bye, Bye Birdie” began exploring Drama in one of Chad’s after school enrichment classes.

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 According to Chad, he was selected to bring his style of instruction to Lincoln Middle School to help develop a program in which every interested student would be given a chance to learn more about the theatre and the process of theatrical production. The Drama Club met once a week over the course of the past four months. At first, classes were dedicated to acting, improvisational and team building exercises. Then they began to explore several different musicals through scene-work, songs and dances.  In March the students chose to study “Bye, Bye Birdie” for performance.  Each student was awarded a role as an actor, designer, or technician based upon their desire and strength.  They did two shows over the weekend with two different casts.

 The Santa Monica –Malibu Education Foundation (SMEEF), in partnership with the Parent-Teacher Associations at Lincoln Middle School and John Adams Middle School (JAMS) is sponsoring the Middle School Drama programs at a cost of $20,000. SMMEF funding came from events hosted by Daily Grill and Bloomingdales. The PTA put up the rest.

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“It’s exciting to see Middle School students be able to perform on stage,” said Rachel Faulkner, SMEEF Program Director. “It’s clear that the Lincoln production was a success. We’re thrilled to be making it happen.”   Rebecca added that SMEEF is hoping to be able to fund the programs again for next year.

 It’s well worth it.

  I look forward to seeing Into the Woods, Jr.” performed by the JAMS Theatre Company this weekend:  Friday, May 20th , 7pm; Saturday, May 21, 2pm and 7pm.  Performances will take place in the JAMS auditorium: 2425 16th Street - Santa Monica, 90405.

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