North Shore Music Theatre Partners With Brooksby Village
By Robert Doherty
The Erickson Tribune
Recently, the North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) presented the Horizons Program, a collaboration between the Brookwood School and Brooksby Village, in continuation of their efforts to partner people who live at Brooksby with elementary school students. With the assistance of the NSMT education staff, people who live at Brooksby and the students of Manchester’s Brookwood School created and performed a one-hour musical revue aptly named We Are Just Like You.
‘Poignant and Imaginative’
“Horizons Program provides a unique creative opportunity for two different generations to learn from each other, and to teach by example,” explains Daniel Blake, North Sshore Music Theatre vocal coach and Horizons Program director. “Together, the students and the people at Brooksby have designed a poignant and imaginative revue that will touch the hearts and open the minds of its audience.”
18 fourth grade students and 22 people who live at Brooksby performed 12 songs, including “Getting to Know You” from The King and I, and “Bless the Beast and the Children,” as well as their theme song “We Are Just Like You” by Brooksby resident Cynthia Ferratusco for an audience of their peers.
‘Amazing and Touching’
“What an amazing and touching concert!” exclaimed audience member Douglas Fodeman, director of technology and communication at the Brookwood School. “I was very touched by the poetry, ensemble performances, duets between ‘fathers and daughters’, and solos.”