Timber Trail students sparkle at fifth grade show
The entire cast of TTE fifth grade performers, including coordinators Wendy Wilson and Cindy Berndt, in front of their show’s marquee on May 4.
By Lynne Marsala Basche; photo courtesy of Wendy Wilson
Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) students took to the stage in the fifth annual fifth grade show in May. Enthusiastic performances revolved around the theme of movie-inspired songs and numbers and continued the school’s artistic tradition.
Approximately 90 fifth graders performed for the TTE community, family and friends under the guidance of art teacher Wendy Wilson and music teacher Cindy Berndt. Performances included 29 songs from 27 movies, such as “Singing in the Rain”, “Blues Brothers”, “High School Musical”, “Grease”, “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure”, and “Pitch Perfect.”
The students worked on the show the entire school year, including each class voting for the movies they wanted to include. Kids also had the option of auditioning for solo numbers. “Dance Fridays” had performers learning the dances from the selected movies and working both individually and as groups.
“The kids were willing to trust us,” said Wilson. “They worked so hard and really wanted to make the show a success.” Throughout the process, kids learned about peer assessment and giving and receiving constructive criticism in addition to stepping out of their comfort zones to perform.
The selected movie release dates ranged from 1934 to 2015 and allowed the kids to express many characteristics. “I loved being different characters,” said Davin T. “For ‘Beetlejuice’, we had to act possessed, and for ‘Descendants’ we had to show anger. Those personalities were hard.”
Berndt appreciates the fact that every child can be a part of the production and take a role that is comfortable for them. “Performers can be in the front of the stage or the back, have a solo or be part of a group,” said Berndt. “We guide them to have their best experience.”
For all of the students, it was an opportunity to have fun, perform and make memories. Wilson and Berndt barely had a moment to relax after the production because they are already picking a theme for next year’s fifth graders. The show will go on!
