`SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK' SONGS FIND HOME ON STAGE.Byline: Victoria Giraud People and Places ``Schoolhouse Rock Live!'' playing at the Arts Council An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad. Center, mixes education with musical fun for the entire family. Its animated, dynamic cast of six sing, dance and mime through a couple of enlivening en·liv·en tr.v. en·liv·ened, en·liv·en·ing, en·liv·ens To make lively or spirited; animate. en·liv  en·er n. hours to enlighten us on everything from nouns and conjunctions to the U.S. Constitution, the galaxy, and the process of Congress making a bill into law. The educational songs were first presented as three-minute cartoons on Saturday mornings in 1973 by CBS (Cell Broadcast Service) See cell broadcast. television. The cartoons moved on to ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. and ran until 1986, winning three Emmy Awards during their 13-year run. Those of us raising children during the 1970s and '80s, or growing up during those times, are sure to remember such songs as ``Lolly, Lolly, Lolly,'' ``Conjunction Junction,'' or ``I'm Just a Bill "I'm Just a Bill" is a classic Schoolhouse Rock! segment which first aired in 1975. It is sung by Jack Sheldon (the voice of the bill) and his son (the boy learning the process). It is about how a bill becomes a law, how it must go through Congress, and how it can be vetoed, etc. ,'' which are an integral part of the current production. Comedy Tonight Productions obtained the exclusive rights to produce ``Schoolhouse Rock Live!'' prior to a scheduled 1998 national tour. Using a musical revue format and live music, the production has a simple story format, taking place in the living room of a nervous, new teacher - Tom (the talented Bawb Cochrane) - on the morning before his first day of teaching. The five other cast members, claiming they are all parts of him, come to remind him, in song, how much he really knows and how much fun it will be to impart this knowledge imaginatively to his new class. The perky perk·y adj. perk·i·er, perk·i·est 1. Having a buoyant or self-confident air; briskly cheerful. 2. Jaunty; sprightly. perk ensemble cast An ensemble cast is a cast in which the principal performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows for flexibility for writers to focus on different - Terrie Benton as Dina, Marc Channick as George, Megan Pryor as Dori, Katy Strote as Shulie, and Gabriel Vega as Joe - smoothly fits together. The small band, led by percussionist Larry English and including Kendra Valdivia on piano and Steve Bringleson on bass guitar, was excellent, adding their own special verve to the production. Conejo edition ending Two funny standout songs in the production were ``Figure Eight,'' and ``Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla sarsaparilla (särs'pərĭl`ə, săs'–), common name for various plants belonging to two different classes and also for an extract from their roots, formerly much used in medicine and in beverages. .'' Megan Pryor and Marc Channick were hilarious as they mimed being inept ice skaters in ``Figure Eight.'' Simi edition ending Judging from the enthusiastic response from the many youngsters at the matinee I attended, this is ideal live entertainment THE FACTS WHAT: ``Schoolhouse Rock Live!'' Book by Scott Ferguson, Kyle Hall and George Keating. Music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Bob Dorough, Dave Freischberg, Kathy Mandry, George Newall and Tom Yohe. WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 4 and 7 p.m. Sunday; through June 29. WHERE: The Arts Council Center Courtyard, 482 Greenmeadow Ave., Thousand Oaks. COST: $14 per person; $12 for seniors and students; $9 for children under 12. INFORMATION: (805) 389-3193. |
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