Dallas Children's Theater Blog

Astonishing Kids And Families With The Fun of Broadway-Like Plays and A Lot More!

Nana Moments: LITTLE WOMEN

Whether it’s 1860, and you’re writing a play to put on in your crowded family room like Jo in LITTLE WOMEN; or it’s 2019 and you’re a teen staying up late trying to come up with a tweet to make your friends laugh: the words you choose have power. Learning to communicate—to tell a story— is a skill that will always be valuable.

In our world today, stories are experienced so rapidly it’s difficult to retain their message before jumping onto the next big “thing.” Teens especially are exposed to hundreds of thousands of possible forms of entertainment and are rarely encouraged to experience any one for longer than a few minutes. Telling a story, however, is a slow process that opens doors to deeper-level thinking, and encourages useful self-investigation. Joyfully, most children are eager to tell stories if they are given the space and time to share.

Now, here’s an exercise you can download and pass on to your Jo(e), Meg or Amy. Encourage them to write a letter (or e-mail if more convenient) to a grandparent or someone dear to them. Ask them to retell a story they have recently heard or seen – it can be silly or serious. Make sure they indicate the source of the story. Write back and tell them a favorite story of yours and how you experienced it. The goal of the exercise is to allow the child to not only examine how they like to get their information, but also to help them discover their own preferences and organically establish connections with others.

Invite the grandmas and grandpas in your world to see LITTLE WOMEN running December 7 – 22, and don’t forget to see Nana herself in LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET this March!

                           

Family bonding time is great at a DCT play.  Buy tickets at dct.org!

IMAGE CREDIT:  LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET permission granted by Penguin Random House LLC.
Photo by Karen Almond

Meet the cast of THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR CHRISTMAS SHOW

Meet the shining stars in this extraordinary spectacle that is pure holiday magic!

Charli Armstrong**
(Ensemble)
Charli has previously been seen in DCT’s National Touring productions of The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley and Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale. Also at DCT, you may have seen her in the Dallas premiere of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show; and the 2010 production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. She has appeared in several productions throughout the Dallas area including The Three Musketeers with Theatre Britain, Jack The Ripper with Pocket Sandwich Theatre, and Marianela with MBS Productions.

Douglass Burks*
(Ensemble)
A veteran of Dallas area theater, Mr. Burks has worked with Dallas Children’s Theater for many years as an Equity actor, stage manager, sound designer, and director. He is a founding member of the nationally acclaimed Kathy Burks Theatre of Puppetry Arts and has earned the distinction of Master Puppeteer. A popular actor with DCT audiences, Doug will be remembered for his many roles on the DCT stage, which include The Giver (The Giver), Goodnight Moon (Larry the Tooth Fairy), James and the Giant Peach (Old Grasshopper), Peter Pan (Captain Hook), Young King Arthur (Merlin), The Emperor’s New Clothes (the Emperor), The Mummy’s Claw (Sir Nevil Blore), Jungalbook (Baloo), Holes (Mr. Sir), and Treasure Island (Long John Silver). He also portrayed the title characters in Frankenstein, The Reluctant Dragon, The Canterville Ghost, and the 2001 production of The BFG (Big Friendly Giant). Mr. Burks was a member of the first graduating class of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, Texas.

Gerald Taylor II**
(Ensemble)
Gerald feels joyful and triumphant to be home for the holidays at DCT. You may have seen him in last season’s The Snowy Day and Other Stories by Ezra Jack Keats, or in the National Tours for The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) and Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale. Next for Gerald is the world premiere of Denise Lee’s Funny, You Don’t Act Like A Negro, followed by The Elephant Man at Theatre Three.

 

Teddy Warren*
(Ensemble)
Teddy Warren is an Equity Actor originally from Milwaukee, WI. He graduated from SMU with a BFA in Theatre Studies and is happy to be back in Dallas to play with DCT again. Locally, Teddy has worked with Shakespeare Dallas in Romeo and Juliet, Trinity Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Stage West in Murder for Two. As always, special thanks and love to the McPhersons.

*Indicates member of Actors’ Equity Association 

**Indicates Equity Membership Candidate.


THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR CHRISTMAS SHOW
Created by Jonathan Rockefeller
Presented in association with Rockefeller Productions
Based on four Eric Carle books
Directed by Douglass Burks

November 23 – December 29, 2019

Enjoyed by all ages

And he was still hungry! So…the Very Hungry Caterpillar came back to Dallas. During the 2019 holiday season, the whole family can make their way to a happy place thanks to a new collection of stories brought to life from beloved children’s author/illustrator Eric Carle. Enjoy Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?; 10 Little Rubber Ducks; Dream Snow; and of course, a reprisal of The Very Hungry Caterpillar – now celebrating its 50th birthday! Filled with colorful puppets and adorable animals, this extraordinary spectacle is pure holiday magic, and sure to be a sellout, so buy your tickets early!


Title sponsors: Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, Sharron Hunt

THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered marks of Eric Carle LLC, © & ™.

Fun Facts about the man who created The Very Hungry Caterpillar…

The Youthful World of Eric Carle

 

Eric Carle liked to sneak parts of his friend’s names into his collages—even the collages in his books. The most common hidden name is “C&R” which is the first letter of his children’s names: Cirsten and Rolf!

The non-scientific explanation for The Hungry Caterpillar butterfly coming out of a cocoon and not the more scientifically-accurate chrysalis is that when Eric Carle was a child his father would tell him to “come out of his cocoon” and be more receptive to the world around him. He liked the sound of that much more than “come out of your chrysalis”. In his words: “Poetry won out                                  over science!”

Eric Carle and Mr. Rogers are the same age, and he taped a short segment on Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood with him. Eric Carle has said of his and Rogers’ work: “I think he and I try to do the same thing, which is to take a subject we consider important and explore it with our audiences and readers. We don’t tell children, we let them discover for themselves.”

Eric Carle is bilingual, speaking both English and German. He was born in Syracuse, New York and spoke English until he was 6, but moved to Germany and then spoke only German. When he moved back to the United States, he was 22 and he spoke English once more.

The iconic Hungry Caterpillar almost never existed! Eric Carle’s original idea was a green “bookworm”, and it was to be called “A Week With Willi the Worm”. His editor, Ann Beneduce, wasn’t fond of the idea of a worm character, and suggested a caterpillar instead!

This holiday, bring your family out of the cocoon to enjoy all things Eric Carle at Dallas Children’s Theater


THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR CHRISTMAS SHOW
Created by Jonathan Rockefeller
Presented in association with Rockefeller Productions
Based on four Eric Carle books
Directed by Douglass Burks

November 23 – December 29, 2019

Enjoyed by all ages

And he was still hungry! So…the Very Hungry Caterpillar came back to Dallas. During the 2019 holiday season, the whole family can make their way to a happy place thanks to a new collection of stories brought to life from beloved children’s author/illustrator Eric Carle. Enjoy Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?; 10 Little Rubber Ducks; Dream Snow; and of course, a reprisal of The Very Hungry Caterpillar – now celebrating its 50th birthday! Filled with colorful puppets and adorable animals, this extraordinary spectacle is pure holiday magic, and sure to be a sellout, so buy your tickets early!


Title sponsors: Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, Sharron Hunt


Photo Credits: Courtesy of Eric Carle, VHCCS photo by Alessandra Mello, courtesy of Bay Area Children’s Theatre.

 THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered marks of Eric Carle LLC, © & ™.

Sources: 1) eric-carle[dot]com/cesix.pdf; 2) eric-carle[dot]com/ceone.pdf; 3) eric-carle[dot]com/cethree.pdf; 4) eric-carle[dot]com/cethree.pdf;  5) scholastic[dot]com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/qa-eric-carle/

DALLAS CHILDREN’S THEATER PARTNERS WITH BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS TO PRESENT A GROUNDBREAKING PLAY FOCUSED ON A TRANSGENDER TEEN

First Unitarian Church of Dallas, Texas Instruments, Capital One and PwC are part of the collaboration which has national lead funding support from the Theater Communications Group and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

Curiosity leads children to investigate and explore the world around them, to figure out relationships, and ultimately discover who they are. As more and more young people come to terms with their gender identity and transitioning, there is a need for resources that encourage conversation and understanding in a safe and open environment. With the world premiere of ANDI BOI, Dallas Children’s Theater (DCT) adds this topic to its series of internationally recognized teen issue plays. ANDI BOI will run at DCT from February 7 – February 16, 2020.

Andi is a transgender teen entering his first day of school identifying as a male. Former classmates recall his last name when they hear it, but there is something different about Andi that keeps the dots from connecting clearly in their minds.  Soon his new teachers, classmates, and his classmates’ parents will figure it out. How will they react? With aggression? With compassion? With confusion? Inspired by one teen’s journey, ANDI BOI is told with a sensitivity towards Andi and uses wit, heart, and warmth to help audiences find their way to greater compassion and awareness. Post-show conversations with subject matter resources will follow every performance.

“DCT has made it a priority to present stories about teens caught in difficult situations and the tough barriers they face, in part, because so little energy is focused on teens. This means a wall of confusion and rejection often meets them,” said Robyn Flatt, Founder and Executive Artistic Director of DCT. “By increasing our awareness and understanding of these young people as human beings, as vulnerable young people among us, we can provide a supportive space during their search to find true identity, and as a result, we hopefully make the journey less painful.”

A recent report from the CDC* reveals that two percent of high school students in the United States identify as transgender. Yet, it is clear that the experiences of each child are distinct and run the gamut from very difficult and life threatening to that akin to any teen going through a challenge.  As such, the producing team wants to be clear that this play is far from an attempt to suggest every child’s journey is the same.  ANDI BOI is one story about one life that is largely devised by a playwright.  It is not intended to represent an entire community, but rather be a starting point for conversation.

DCT commissioned local playwright, Bruce Coleman, to write ANDI BOI. His first decision was to speak with some of the two percent of high school students who identify as transgender. For Coleman, this included talking to a teen who recently transitioned and his parents. Using these conversations and research as inspiration, Coleman said he deliberately decided to use honesty and humor as tools for telling this story in hopes that it would have the broadest possible appeal. Coleman hoped to create an atmosphere of good will and understanding that will help audiences begin an important conversation around this topic. “I hope as our audiences get to know Andi, they’ll also get to know something about themselves,” Coleman said.

“As a gay man, I too kept a secret from my family until it became impossible to deny who I was anymore.” Coleman continued, “I feared rejection from family and friends as they discovered who I am, but I ultimately took that rejection and turned it into strength. I have been pushed at by a society that wants to squeeze me into a box and force me to be a thing that goes against everything that makes me this person I am. But when all has been said and done and because of a strong belief in myself, I can finally achieve my heart’s desire: To be seen, to be respected, and to be treasured. It’s all Andi and I are asking for.”

DCT is co-producing ANDI BOI with Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and in partnership with First Unitarian Church of Dallas. Additional support for the production comes from collaborating partners and sponsors Texas Instruments, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and Capital One.

Karon Cogdill, Theater Cluster Coordinator at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (BTWHSPVA), said the entire administration and theater conservatory are proud partners in this project. “BTWHSPVA was created as part of the desegregation plan for the Dallas Independent School District; so an understanding of the need for diversity in our school and in the world is part of our DNA. We believe that all students must be recognized and honored for who they are. For us, education is the strongest way to show others the power that diversity has in all the arts and in our lives,” she said.

Andy Smith, Executive Director of the Texas Instruments Foundation shared his thoughts on the company’s involvement in this project, “Theater is a powerful vehicle that helps bring different experiences to light. We are proud to support DCT’s efforts to further the dialogue and share experiences around the topic of teens and young transgender people.” Smith said the company works every day to build an inclusive environment where people can be who they are, and have open discussions that help them understand other perspectives.

Todd Ranta, PwC Partner and DCT Board President, said inclusion is part of doing business. He said, “We believe it is vital to collaborate to bring new audiences to participate in this groundbreaking play exploring the transition of a transgender boy. I believe this play touches on universal elements of diversity and inclusion that can impact anyone when dealing with an unfamiliar situation.”

Stephanie Jeffery, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion at Capital One Financial Services, echoes the sentiments of her corporate peers. “Many teens may either be going through their own transgender journeys or may have friends, family, acquaintances or schoolmates who are. This is also a topic which is increasingly being talked about in news channels. Creating dialogue around the transgender experience is an incredibly important purpose, and the empathy that can be created through the medium of theater will create meaningful opportunities for further discussion, tolerance, and ultimately, inclusion of transgender people.”

First Unitarian Church of Dallas has been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world. For over forty years, they have been on the forefront of LGBTQ initiatives.

Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Kanter, Pastor of First Unitarian Church of Dallas, is proud to be a partner in this project.  He said, “As a progressive church, we know that everyone has dignity and worth no matter who they are.  First Unitarian has been an open and affirming church for over 45 years and, in the last five years, has seen an increase in our parishioners who are navigating transgender issues.  We know how little most people even know about being transgender and believe that supporting this effort is not only good for our church, but also for our society.” As a producing partner, First Unitarian Church of Dallas will lead a community action event scheduled for March/April 2020.

Over the past 15 years, DCT has offered several teen issue plays that examine topics including bullying, learning differences, teen brain development, eating disorders, and dating violence. Subject matter resources lead a discussion after each of these types of performances. At the performances, teens and parents are provided information and perspective on the topic, as well as guidance on how to navigate the inherent trauma imbedded in these situations.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG) – the national service organization for American theater – awarded DCT and its partners a major grant to support the production and the events surrounding ANDI BOI as part of its second round of Audience (R)Evolution Cohort Grants. Funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the program gives awards to theater organizations to implement and refine ways to increase audience engagement and community development with a focus on young audiences.The grant will support the project’s goal of building a community to support teens and their parents and encouraging conversation and understanding of transgender youth in a safe and open environment.

“I believe theater provides a powerful tool during our children’s transition to adulthood by spotlighting some of the serious challenges they and their peers encounter along the way,” Flatt said. “It is up to us to help all our children, irrespective of color, creed, or gender orientation, to have a safe space for physical growth, an environment for creative discovery, and an open door for tolerance and acceptance.”


TEEN SCENE PLAYERS PRESENT

ANDI BOI

Written and Directed by Bruce R. Coleman
Co-produced with Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in partnership with First Unitarian Church of Dallas
February 7 – 16, 2020
Created especially for ages 13 and up and those who love them…

(Contains adult language)

Performance Dates and Times:

  • Friday, February 7, 7:30 PM
  • Saturday, February 8, 1:30 PM
  • Sunday, February 9, 1:30 PM
  • Sunday, February 9, 4:30 PM
  • Friday, February 14, 7:30 PM
  • Saturday, February 15, 1:30 PM
  • Sunday, February 16, 1:30 PM (ASL)

Ticket Prices: $16 for single tickets. Prices subject to change. Call the Box Office for details, 214-740-0051.

General tickets are available online at dct.org

Weekday Student Matinee shows for this production also available Tuesday through Thursday, February 11 – 13. Call Dallas Children’s Theater at 214-978-0120 or visit dct.org/fieldtrips

Photo Credit: Karen Almond

*Center for Disease Control – the nation’s health protection agency

Little Women’s author Louisa May Alcott: A Powerhouse of Ambition

Bold and inspiring, here’s how Louisa May Alcott was ahead of her time…


1. In the 1850’s, running in long skirts and leather shoes was far from easy, and jogging had not yet been popularized as a sport. Still, Louisa May Alcott loved to run, and when she served as a nurse in the Civil War, she was frequently seen jogging in the mornings to keep up her spirits!

2. The Alcott’s family home was used as a secret station along the underground railroad. Alcott later wrote that she took more pride in the small help her family provided during that time, than in all the books she ever wrote.

3. When Louisa May Alcott was 15, she took to writing plays, much like Jo does in Little Women. Her older sister Anna (who the character of Meg in Little Women is inspired by) also caught the theater bug, and both of them acted and performed in numerous over-the-top and incredibly serious plays they would later be embarrassed by. In Little Women, the melodramatic play Jo writes has a main character named Zara. Louisa May Alcott’s childhood plays had this same main character!

4. While keeping a journal is often seen as an inherently personal thing, Louisa May Alcott’s childhood journal was frequently read and reread by Louisa and her parents! Her mother often left little notes of encouragement in the pages, and sometimes Louisa would make a note, years later, laughing at a promise she failed to keep or finishing a story that was interrupted.

5. Louisa May Alcott was the first woman registered to vote in Concord, Massachusetts. She was so determined to vote and have other women vote that she passed out petitions and organized meeting groups about the importance of voting and even resorted to scolding and dragging groups of women who claimed to be “too busy” or uninterested to register. The turnout was disappointing (one vote only had 8 women arrive total, 2 of which were Louisa May Alcott and her sister Anna), but Louisa kept voting anyway.


TEEN SCENE PLAYERS PRESENT
LITTLE WOMEN: THE MUSICAL
Script & Lyrics by Linda Daugherty
Music & Lyrics by B. Wolf
Based on the book by Louisa May Alcott
Directed by K. Doug Miller

Dec. 7 – 22
Ages 9 and up

Celebrate life, love, and family in this festive musical adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s cherished novel set against the backdrop of the American Civil War. The March sisters –romantic Meg, spirited Jo, sweet Beth, and headstrong Amy – face adventure, heartbreak, and enduring hope as they weather life’s changes in this timeless drama. Embrace the spirit of the holiday season through a story that has captured the hearts of readers for more than 150 years. Performed by the DCT Academy all-teen cast!

Sources:
1. npr[dot]org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121831612
2. newbostonpost[dot]com/2015/09/02/underground-railroad-history-at-concords-wayside/
3. gutenberg[dot]org/files/38049/38049-h/38049-h.htm
4. www.gutenberg[dot]org/files/38049/38049-h/38049-h.htm
5. historyofmassachusetts[dot]org/louisa-may-alcott-the-first-woman-registered-to-vote-in-concord/
Image Sources:
www.gutenberg[dot]org/files/37106/37106-h/37106-h.htm, 

gutenberg[dot]org/files/34106/34106-h/34106-h.htm,
history[dot]com/topics/womens-history/the-fight-for-womens-suffrage

Nana Moments: THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR CHRISTMAS SHOW

Oftentimes, the best lessons taught to a child are the lessons that give them the inspiration to pursue their own passions. Eric Carle, author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and over 70 other stories, has expressed that the highest compliment a child can offer when looking at his art is to say “I can do that.”

As a child, Eric Carle was told the original fable of pretzel creation (don’t know it? look it up…) by his grandmother. As an adult, Eric would write Walter the Baker and name a valuable character in the story after her. Children remember! Filled with unlimited potential and passion, they’re ready to change the world from the moment they realize there is a world to change. Love and encouragement are the fuel that allow young people to stay their course through life’s obstacles and grow into creators.

 

Now, here’s an exercise you can download and use to motivate your own hungry caterpillar. Encourage them to fill out, either by drawing a picture or writing, the left half of the attached exercise, and have a grandparent or someone else close to them fill out the right. The goal of the exercise is to trade compliments and give the child (and whoever works with them!) some simple positive reinforcement for sharing and expressing themselves.

Invite the grandmas and grandpas in your world to see THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR CHRISTMAS SHOW coming up on November 23rd, and don’t forget to see Nana herself in LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET this March!

                          

Family bonding time is great at a DCT play. Buy tickets at dct.org!

IMAGE CREDITS: THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered marks of Eric Carle LLC, © & ™.  LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET permission granted by Penguin Random House LLC.
Photo by Alessandra Mello, Courtesy of Bay Area Children’s Theatre.

Tissue paper transformations: Eric Carle’s famous collages go from page to stage…

In Eric Carle’s words…

“I begin with plain tissue paper and paint it with different colors, using acrylics. Sometimes I paint with a wide brush, sometimes with a narrow brush. Sometimes my strokes are straight, and sometimes they’re wavy. Sometimes I paint with my fingers. Or I paint on a piece of carpet, sponge, or burlap and then use that like a stamp on my tissue papers to create different textures.

These papers are my palette and after they have dried, I store them in color-coded drawers. Let’s say I want to create a caterpillar: I cut out a circle for the head from a red tissue paper and many ovals for the body from green tissue papers; and then I paste them with wallpaper glue onto an illustration board to make the picture.”

When tissue paper is painted with acrylic paint, the paper becomes very stiff and easier to cut into shapes. Eric Carle’s painting technique has been around for ages, and while messy, can be accomplished by all ages! If you don’t want to paste your painted and cut tissue paper on fancy illustration board like Eric Carle, a piece of cardboard or thick, sturdy paper will work just as well!

Master Puppeteer Douglass Burks is returning to direct this second show in the series.  He truly enjoys bringing these books to life.  “One of the things I’m most excited to work on is the new stories” Burks said, eager to show off this new production. “They’re so faithful to the books– especially in the design of the puppets.”

With an abundance of heart and lots of joy, THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR CHRISTMAS SHOW not only perfectly fits Dallas Children’s Theater’s season theme Color the world with Kindness, but also celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar picture book originally published in 1969.

Come celebrate the holidays with DCT, Eric Carle, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Santa and the rest of Carle’s wonderful animal friends!


THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR CHRISTMAS SHOW
Created by Jonathan Rockefeller
Presented in association with Rockefeller Productions
Based on four Eric Carle books
Directed by Douglass Burks
November 23 – December 29, 2019
Enjoyed by all ages

And he was still hungry! So…the Very Hungry Caterpillar came back to Dallas. During the 2019 holiday season, the whole family can make their way to a happy place thanks to a new collection of stories brought to life from beloved children’s author/illustrator Eric Carle. Enjoy Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?; 10 Little Rubber Ducks; Dream Snow; and of course, a reprisal of The Very Hungry Caterpillar – now celebrating its 50th birthday! Filled with colorful puppets and adorable animals, this extraordinary spectacle is pure holiday magic, and sure to be a sellout, so buy your tickets early!

Sponsors: Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, Sharron Hunt
(source: http://www.eric-carle.com/q-makepic.html)

 

Lyrics to “The Preamble” from SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE!

In this #ThrowbackThursday series we’re preparing families for our show, SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE!, by taking it back to the 70s when many of the TV show’s classic songs premiered. Here are the lyrics to the song “The Preamble” from Dallas Children’s Theater’s production of SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE!

Hey, do you know about the U.S.A.?
Do you know about the government?
Can you tell me about the Constitution?
Hey, learn about the U.S.A.

In 1787 I’m told
Our founding fathers did agree
To write a list of principles
For keepin’ people free.

The U.S.A. was just startin’ out.
A whole brand-new country.
And so our people spelled it out
The things that we should be.

And they put those principles down on paper and called it the Constitution, and it’s been helping us run our country ever since then. The first part of the Constitution is called the preamble and tells what those founding fathers set out to do.

We the people,
In order to form a more perfect union,
Establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,
Provide for the common defense,
Promote the general welfare and
Secure the blessings of liberty
To ourselves and our posterity
Do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

In 1787 I’m told
Our founding fathers all sat down
And wrote a list of principles
That’s known the world around.

The U.S.A. was just starting out
A whole brand-new country.
And so our people spelled it out
They wanted a land of liberty.

And the Preamble goes like this:

We the people,
In order to form a more perfect union,
Establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,
Provide for the common defense,
Promote the general welfare and
Secure the blessings of liberty
To ourselves and our posterity
Do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

For the United States of America…


Note:
The lyrics here have a slightly abridged wording of the Preamble to the United States Constitution. The actual document starts, “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union…”


SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE!
Originally Conceived and Directed by Scott Ferguson
Book by Scott Ferguson, Kyle Hall, and George Keating
Music and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Bob Dorough, Dave Frishberg, Kathy Mandry, George Newall, and Tom Yohe
Directed by Nancy Schaeffer

SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! JR is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. MTIShows[dot]com

January 25 – February 23, 2020

Recommended for ages 5 and up

If you were a kid from the early 70s to mid 80s when this series was first on TV, or in the mid 90s when it ran again; you owe it to yourself to go back in time to the good old days. Relive how fun learning English, history, science, and math was thanks to Saturday morning television and this pop culture phenomenon! There’s no time like the present to start teaching the rest of the family such megahits as Conjunction Junction, Just A Bill, Three Is A Magic Number, and others so everyone can be a part of the show! Join nervous school teacher Tom, and all of those crazy cartoon characters, for a turn-up-the-volume blast you won’t soon forget!

Learn more about this show and others in our 2019-2020 season at dct.org.

Title Sponsor: Which Wich


Dallas Children’s Theater does not own the content in any videos shared in this post. Thanks to those accounts that posted these videos to YouTube, so we can share the iconic songs with our followers and fans, too. 

Song lyrics to “The Preamble” from the Schoolhouse Rock series and Note courtesy of schoolhouserock[dot]tv. © 2017 School House Rock Lyrics. “The Preamble” video courtesy of YouTube.