You have to be a Wolf Pup before you can grow to be a Red Wolf. And that’s exactly what the Wolf Pup Drama Club at Cuyahoga Heights Elementary School (CHES) is all about. The club is open to all fourth and fifth grade students. Auditions are held for the main parts but those who don’t want to audition can become part of the ensemble.
“We started this three years ago with the intent to build a program to cultivate interest in the performing arts so that when they get into middle school, the students have some experience and ultimately will consider performing in musical productions at the high school,” said Angelo Bertolone, elementary music teacher. He, along with Kelly Cummins, speech-language pathologist, and Jessica Satterlee, school counselor, who both have theater experience, work together to coordinate the program.
Casting for this year’s performance,“Willy Wonka Jr.”, took place in December and rehearsals began in January. The 60 student performers met after school to learn their lines, determine their stage positions, and otherwise get ready for their debut. Among the classic songs they learned were: “I Want it Now”, “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket”, and “Oompa-Loompa”, “The Candy Man”, and “The Burping Song”.
“It’s been so great to watch the students enjoying themselves,” noted Bertolone about the impact the drama club has made on the students. “When you really connect with them on another level, the reward is so heartfelt. They feel they have a place here and it’s great to watch them shine.”
The district’s Music Boosters helped fund some of the props and the CHES PTO provided mini grants to help with the sets. Bertolone, Cummins, and Satterlee also worked with parents to create the backdrops and students’ costumes. Admission was free, but attendance has been so high that, this year there were two performances: one for families of fourth-grade performers and one for fifth-grade performers.
