The Newman-Crows Landing Drama Department put on a spectacular show these past two weekends. “Alice in Wonderland Jr”. was their third production since forming a few years ago and the growth in the program was very evident on and off stage.

I attended the final performance on Sunday afternoon. I really enjoyed it, and so did the audience which packed the house of the West Side Theatre. Their approval was evident by the timely laughter and rounds of applause throughout the musical play. It was a “feel-good” show, one that stayed with me even after I went home.

It’s always nice to see children shining on stage, but this production was truly entertaining.

The entire show lasted only an hour but it was entertaining from beginning to end.

The opening number was fantastic. It was an actual opening number with what looked like the entire cast. The costumes were creative and worked very well. The simple set and minor props worked quite efficiently for the small stage. The characters were funny, the scene changes were creative, and the singing and dancing was uplifting.

Good job everybody! It seems like the performing arts are once again coming alive for students and staff in the district.

Performing arts, whether on stage, in a classroom, on a field or in the streets, are an important element in a child’s learning process. They open doors to talents that otherwise may never have been discovered. They incorporate academics such  as math and reading, and life skills such as discipline, self-confidence and self-esteem.

Study after study has shown the many benefits to a child’s overall learning from exposure to and study in the arts. Yet schools are often forced to cut them from their schedules so they can meet the high demands put on them to reach state standards in core subjects. There are not enough hours in the day to allow for electives in the schedules anymore. Add to that the current budget woes and many schools have cut out performing arts all together.

That is such a shame.

Thank goodness, NCLUSD has been able to keep both music and drama available for our kids. Thank goodness, there are staff members like Mr. Jeans, Mr. Reeves, Mr. Layne and Mr. Rexelle who have the drive to go the extra mile and make the drama department available. Thank goodness Newman has a beautiful theatre for our students to shine. Thank goodness there are parents and community volunteers who graciously and wholeheartedly give their time in support of the program. And thank goodness Mary Williams is so good at her job that the after school program is able to fund it.

Congratulations to everyone involved in the production of “Alice in Wonderland, Jr.” Thank you for a wonderful afternoon. I look forward to your next performance.