HOLDEN & ARTS ASSOCIATES
SHARING STORIES AND CREATING PARTNERSHIPS SINCE 1983
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE!
Book by Scott Ferguson, George Keating, and Kyle Hall
Music and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Bob Dorough, Dave Frishberg, Kathy Mandry, George Newall, and Tom Yohe
Produced by Childsplay Theatre
From Tempe, Arizona
Resources
About the Company
Academic subjects will never seem boring again when presented through mega-hits like “Conjunction Junction,” “Just a Bill,” “Interplanet Janet” or “Three is a Magic Number.”
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! explodes onto the stage updated for a whole new generation with imaginative image projections and a rock’n’roll feel. The live performance centers around Tom, a nervous young man on his first day of being a schoolteacher, who turns on the television to calm himself down and is visited by three aspects of his personality who remind him how learning can be fun.
Childsplay brings the classic Saturday morning cartoons to life with SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! Originally aired on the ABC television network from 1973-1985, then revived in the 90s and 00s, Schoolhouse Rock was a collection of clever, animated shorts that taught academic topics including grammar, mathematics, civics and science.
After Childsplay’s incredible national tour of the production in 2014-2015, the pop culture phenomenon returns to the musical stages across North America once more!
Best for: Grades 1st-5th (Ages 6-10 years)
Audience Size: Medium & Large Venues
Please contact us to watch an archival full length recording.
Curriculum Connections
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Language Arts: Reading, Writing, Grammar
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Fine Arts: Music, Dance, and Performance
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Science: Solar System, Circulatory System
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Math: Counting by 3's, Counting by 5's
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Social Studies: History, The Constitution, Women’s Rights
Outreach and Workshops
The cast of SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! will lead students through an interactive drama workshop. This fast-paced, fun session reinforces the key people, subjects and musical styles upon which the show is based. The workshop will last 45 minutes to an hour and should be presented to smaller groups in a classroom.
Sensory Friendly Performances
This performance is available as a “sensory friendly” or “relaxed” performance if arranged with the company in advance and with specific direction as to what adjustments are necessary for your venue.
Minimum Technical Requirements
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Load In: 4 hours (with prehang)
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Crew Needs: 4 to Load In, 1 to run the show, 2 for strike
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Min. Stage Size: 35 feet by 35 feet by 21 feet high
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Sound: Sound reinforcement with 8 available inputs, 4 minimum outputs
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Lighting: Theatrical Lighting required. Childsplay will provide plot.
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Load Out: 1 hour
Artistic Team
Book by Scott Ferguson, George Keating and Kyle Hall
Music and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Bob Dorough, Dave Frishberg, Kathy Mandry, George Newall and Tom Yohe
Produced by Childsplay Theatre
Director: Anthony Runfola
Choreographer: Molly Lajoie
Musical Director: Alan Ruch
Costume Designer: D. Daniel Hollingshead
Scenic Designer: Holly Windingstad
Lighting Designer: Tim Monson
Projection Designer: Limitrophe Films
Touring Company will consist of: 4 performers and 2 technicians
Critical Acclaim
“…children’s theatre doesn’t come much more marketable than this “jukebox musical” from Childsplay…The songs, which teach multiplication, basic grammar, civics, history, science, etc., still work with the kids in the audience. But they also offer a strong dose of nostalgia to the parents and grandparents.”
—Phoenix Mag
“My 8 year old loved the program and we were singing the songs together afterward on our way to dinner.”
—Family Audience Member
“There are touchstones in media that our autistic daughter really responds to. It was so powerful to see her reactions to songs she has loved and listened to for such a long time come to life. It was also truly fun for us to hear the soundtrack of our own Saturday morning childhoods preformed in a fresh, new way by such talented actors and singers.”
—Family Audience Member
“Wow! This was such a fantastic show! I've been to lots of Childsplay performances and quickly remember why you're the best company in town!”
—2nd Grade Teacher
“They loved the actors (brava actors)! They loved the quick pace and constant action of the show. We felt welcomed by the ushers. this was a wonderful theater experience for my students!”
—1st Grade Teacher
Check out this preview article and interview with Director Anthony Runfola!
Watch as Kid Reporter Mia reviews SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE!
Past Tours: The Snowy Day and Other Stories; Maddi's Fridge; Tomás and the Library Lady; Go, Dog. Go!; The Cat in the Hat; Schoolhouse Rock Live! (national tour in 2014-2015); and Rock the Presidents
Since 1977, Childsplay has been committed to its mission: “To create theatre so strikingly original in form, content or both that it instills in young people an enduring awe, love, and respect for the medium, thus preserving imagination and wonder, those hallmarks of childhood that are the keys to the future.”
Childsplay is a resident professional company of adult actors who teach and perform for young audiences and families. The internationally respected theatre company believes that young people deserve to experience theatre of the highest artistic quality. Childsplay has performed for more than 5 million children and adults and has grown to serve an average annual audience of 250,000 children, teachers and families. Childsplay's recent national tours include Tomás and the Library Lady in the 2007-2008, 2013-2014, and 2018-2019 seasons, Peter and the Wolf in 2009-2010, Ferdinand the Bull in 2010-2011, Rock the Presidents in 2012 – 2013, 2016-2017, Schoolhouse Rock Live in 2014-2015 and Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat in 2015- 2016, 2016 - 2017.
In addition to Childsplay’s professional productions, its educational programming has expanded dramatically in response to the needs of school partners. Over 1,500 young people attend classes each year in the Childsplay Theatre Academy and nearly 5,000 students experience drama directly in their classrooms through Childsplay’s extensive education programming for students and teachers. These programs emphasize experiential learning, language acquisition and literacy competency – essential precursors to overall academic achievement and long-term success across all subject areas. Childsplay believes that by continuing to create strikingly original theatre and connecting to young people’s learning potential, we can build a generation of creative learners, innovative thinkers and dynamic leaders.
Visit the company's website.
Company Background
Gallery of Past Productions
