Vast yet humble is Santiago’s theatre department performance of Robert Fulgham’s short collection of essays entitled “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” which was dramatically published by Ernest Zulia. Directed by Theatre teacher Tanae Beyer, the production opened on Thursday night in the Santiago high school theatre. The music of the show was adapted and newly composed by Matt Rubick (12).
The play opens with a narrator orchestrating the cast from rapturous and ecstatic kindergartners to disinterested college students and finally to self-absorbed peons in the adult world. The opening number explores the notion that ideals found in school children: ingenuity, creativity and individuality are lost as one “grows up.” These fundamentals would follow the play’s various scenes which showcase how these lessons learned in kindergarten add meaning to our lives.
In a stroke of serendipity these lessons coincide with the cast’s dominantly senior and junior billing. Perhaps the incoming reality of graduation, the U.S’s only true rite of passage into the adult world, fueled the consistent stellar performances that had arisen as the play progressed.
Lines were often delivered in a comical fashion. Producing laughs from the audience was a common occurrence. In spite of the overall success of the performers a few of the actresses could not be heard during some musical portions which involved singing. Unfortunately Alexis Walter’s (12) came under an ailment affecting the throat which forced the actress to abandon her role in a three page monologue. The scene was cut from the performance.
The costumes were kept simple: solid color t-shirts with jeans or pants meant to parallel the simplicity of kindergarten. Similarly, the set design also followed a minimalistic approach with only a few steeples emblazoned with chalk serving as the main set props.
Lighting designer, Cody Soper (11), did a fantastic job in establishing the various tones in scenes. One scene in particular, “Beethoven”, featured an astonishing lighting effect that wowed the audience with its founding of a sense of grandeur.
With a runtime just over two hours the production serves as a satisfying homage to the Robert Fulgham’s publication. With tickets at the door costing only $10 the spectacle offered is a steal even to the most seasoned theatre goers.
