Students of Dawn Caldwell-Rothfusz's sixth-grade class at Minden Elementary School finished the year with a bang on June 3, performing their original class play, "Scenes from a School Day."
"We almost didn't do it," said Caldwell-Rothfusz, whose class recently returned from a week-long science camp. "I told my students, 'maybe we can't do it this year,' and they said, 'No! We have to do it.'"
More than 50 students from other classes watched the 30-minute performance, which mimicked myriad situations of a typical school day.
Twelve-year-old Tiffany Fiedler started things off by admitting she was having some problems with her school work. The boys in the class were reluctant to help her, but with the right persuasion, the students broke into dance and sang Jackson 5's "ABC."
Then it was test time.
"How long is this test?" asked Tiffany.
"Must be long because they gave us a big snack," quipped 12-year-old Casey Shaffer.
The test-taking quickly gave way to more singing, including The Rolling Stones, "I can't get no satisfaction."
In a later lunch-room skit, students were seen complaining about the poor quality of the food.
"Can't we make the food a little better to eat?" asked 11-year-old Erik Flores.
The crazy-haired lunch lady, played by Eddie Wetzel, squelched Erik's request with a parody of Michael Jackson's "Beat it," aptly renamed "Eat it!"
"You won't get dessert till you clean off your plate, so just eat it!" the lunch lady sang.
There was also a scene where students presented a report on King Tut using unconventional methods, namely dance and song. Then it was onto the bus ride home, where a grumpy bus driver, played by 11-year-old Carly Eller, scolded the kids for being too rowdy.
"It's my duty to get you to and from school," she said.
"Ha! You said doo dee," Tiffany teased.
Once again, what began as an unpleasant situation evolved into a raucous sing-a-long, this time to the likes of "Double Dutch Bus," to which the audience began clapping.
During the last scenario, three students were in a house where a concerned father was hounding them to do their homework.
"My brain is fried," said 12-year-old Wyatt Leonard.
"We've only been studying for 10 minutes," retorted Casey.
To the father figure, played by Nathan Goldstein, Casey posed the following question.
"Won't you feel guilty if our brains explode?"
"I'm willing to take that chance," the father replied.
Of course, after the father left the room, the students put down their books, picked up their guitars and started singing.
Throughout the play, between scene changes, Wyatt and Casey entertained audience members with soaring music. The two dueled, Casey on his keyboard, Wyatt on his electric guitar. It was Beethoven versus rock 'n' roll, and the crowd loved it.
At the end of the show, sixth-grader Stephanie Parks told audience members there's always something good about school. To demonstrate this point, students circled the classroom holding signs of things they've enjoyed throughout the year, including their Halloween party, kickball, root beer floats, the science trip, and, of course, their sixth-grade play.
