The first-grade class play broke through the clouds and bathed its audience in the warm, shining light of joy and togetherness!
Based on the West African story Anansi and the Sky Kingdom, this interpretation found a community of ants, spiders, giraffes, and elephants (all portrayed by our talented first graders) faced with the problem of a suddenly vanished sun! While the ants and spiders were eager to make a plan to find the sun, they worried that they might not be big and strong enough– and while the elephants and giraffes were eager to help, they worried they might have to swim across deep rivers, or fit into tight spaces! The animals soon realized that the only way to find success would be to learn together!
Setting off on their journey, the animals faced a series of tests– first, they had to carry heavy logs to the nearby village, which the elephants lifted, while the spiders spun webs to keep the logs dry in the river. Next, they had to pick fruit from the tall trees; the giraffes could reach the fruit, but couldn’t bend down, so they passed the fruit to the ants who carried it to the baskets. Finally, they had to pass through the constrictive caves– the elephants and giraffes knew they were far too big to fit inside, but luckily the ants were able to burrow in and make the caves bigger!
But when they finally reached the far side, they found the sun nowhere to be seen. They had been tricked! Disappointed, the animals went back home– only to hear the cries of the roosters, signaling the return of the sun!
Through their trials and tests, the animals learned the importance of teamwork, and how to value the skills and qualities of those different from themselves. Together, they could light up the world!
Thanks as always to Jane Rothwell for her work with costumes and scenery, Kevin Coakley and the first-grade students for the set-design and scenery, class teachers Meaghan Daniels, Pamela Senese, and Kitt Wilson, and of course Ms. Sidoli for her writing and directing, and the entire first-grade class for their incredible performance!
