Burke’s Empowers Girls Through Theatre

The fourth grade just completed their play, “Bon Appétit”, Julia Child, allowing students to explore playwriting, improvisation, acting, directing, singing, dancing, and mime.
The fourth-grade play is always an exciting event. Each year, Lower School Theatre Specialist Ms. Gold works with students to provide them with a space to showcase their skills and talents. It is a true ensemble project with students involved in every aspect of the show, including building the sets and costume pieces, and handling set changes during the performance. This year students added song suggestions which became the basis for  scenes in the play, a plethora of dance moves created by the fourth graders were used in the choreography and the addition of Julia’s cats into the play. Students have the opportunity to present their ideas for consideration, and act as creative partners in each step of the process, from playwriting to memorizing lines, setting up their own scenes, and of course, acting. 

The live music was played by Ms. Mandelstein, Lower School Music Specialist, with fourth grade teachers offering their technical support of running the screens and sound cues, managing the backstage activities, and curtains. Parent volunteers from the Fine Arts Committee helped build and create the sets with meticulous precision, down to the Paul Child color of the cabinets. This attention to detail is seen in each part of the play, and students understand that there’s no such thing as a small part. Each part is integral to the whole — and ensemble casting allows students to play many different characters.
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Burke's mission is to educate, encourage and empower girls. Our school combines academic excellence with an appreciation for childhood so that students thrive as learners, develop a strong sense of self, contribute to community, and fulfill their potential, now and throughout life.
Burke's admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.