Last year’s production was We Are Just Like You, starring Brooksby residents and staff and fourth-graders from the Brookwood Elementary School, a private school in Manchester. Like A Journey to the Past, it explored the bonds between those who dream of being young again and those who aspire to be adults.

“It was a huge success,” Landry says. “It was such a positive experience that most of our people who performed last year couldn’t wait to do it again this year.”

The Horizons Program was created by the North Shore Music Theatre in  2006. Its purpose is to combine the interests and perspectives of different generations in what it terms the “common language of musical theater.”

‘Common language of musical theater’
“Musical theater has the ability to reach people of all backgrounds and ages,”  says Burgess Clark, director of education at North Shore Music Theatre. “I was inspired to develop this program by seeing so many grandparents bringing their grandchildren to the theater. Students and seniors have so much to teach each other, and the Horizons Program is a natural fit.”

The North Shore Music Theatre was established in 1955 and is today the  largest nonprofit producing theater in New England with approximately 350,000 annual  patrons. The award-winning theater is renowned for  developing new works and providing theater arts and education programs.

Landry says Clark initially contacted her to discern potential interest at Brooksby in the program and she admittedly “grabbed” the opportunity to  introduce a viable and mutually beneficial program on campus, while filling a void.

She explains: “Through musical theater, the Horizons Program introduces individuals whose grandchildren are far away to students who may not have a grandparent in their lives.”

At the start of this year’s program, residents and students worked with North Shore Musical Theatre staff to conceive a theme for this year’s performance and selected songs, scenes, and poems to be used during the production. Rehearsals, ten in all, include both whole- and small- group  efforts, and performers have to memorize their lines and all of the songs.

The show must go on
On a recent Friday, a successful rehearsal—under Blake’s careful attention and wry sense of humor— moved the performers one step closer to realizing their theatrical aspirations.  In less than 60 minutes, Blake adroitly traversed a walk-through of the revue’s script, using his vast theatrical experience to motivate performers and interjecting personal insights to improve their efforts.

Building relationships
Singing highlighted the rehearsal, and it was admittedly amusing to hear the group belting out tunes such as “Another Op’nin’.” Blake, a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music of New York City, expertly assisted the performers with tongue-twisting lyrics such as “Salagadoola mechicka boola” and “bibbidi-bobbidi-boo,” from the Disney Classic Cinderella.

Throughout the session, paired partners traded advice on theatrical skills. “I like singing and talking with them about what to do in the play,” says third-grader Zoe Stock about her veteran performers. “It’s really cool doing this with them.”

Clark echoes Landry’s sentiments that the Horizons Program enables  generations not only to interact, but also to cultivate strong personal relationships.

“Many who have participated in the program have maintained contact with each other after the rehearsals and performances were over,” Clark says. “My hope is that these relationships continue to grow. I wouldn’t be surprised to see many of our participants coming together to the theater this season.”

One song and dance at a time.