A kindergarten class in New York City has been visited by Broadway stars for 20 years, learning about music and theater.
The Wicked movie has won over fans around the world, but one kindergarten class in Midtown has scored a level of access to the hit musical that would make the most die-hard followers green with envy. For 20 years, a who’s-who of Broadway has been visiting kindergartners in Bryan Andes’ class at P.S. 212. In October, Gregory Maguire, the author of the 2000 book that inspired both the musical and the Wicked movie, chatted with the children about what it really means to be good or evil.
Earlier this month, original Broadway cast member William Youmans, who played Dr. Dillimond, sang a song for the students.Wicked composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz actually kicked off the whole tradition 20 years ago. A class parent at the time knew someone who lived in Schwartz’s building. That neighbor dropped a letter outside his apartment door. Schwartz agreed to come in to discuss songwriting with the children and has visited periodically ever since, Andes said.Over the decades, the students have studied an array of musicals with the help of show-business stars including Stephen Sondheim, Julie Andrews, Carol Burnett, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bernadette Peters, Denzel Washington, Gilbert Gottfried, Sally Field, Vanessa Redgrave, Anjelica Huston, Joan Collins, Donna Murphy, Kelly O'Hara, Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams. “It’s so low-key,” Andes said. “There's no press coming in. They sign in, come up, and it's about the kids and the work.” When singers visit, sometimes the vice principal — who plays piano — accompanies them on the keyboard in the classroom. Noa Caines had Andes as her kindergarten teacher 20 years ago. She said she didn’t realize until she was much older that the guests who graced the reading rug when she was 5 were actually famous. “I had no clue,” she said. Now out of college, she works in radio at the online platform Audacy. She said Andes’ kindergarten lessons instilled a passion for the art
Broadway Musicals Kindergarten Education Arts
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