By Melissa Moore-Randall
Theater productions are alive and well in Revere Public Schools. After a three year hiatus, due to the Covid 10 pandemic, many of the city’s schools drama programs are back in production. Susan B. Anthony Middle School, designated the middle school of performing arts, kicked off the productions with two performances of Decades earlier this month. Revere High School will perform its first musical in 30 years. In the Heights will premiere April 12th and 13th. The Garfield Middle School and Rumney Marsh Academy will perform Clue and Alice in Wonderland in late spring. The only elementary school to join the performance schedule is the Hill School. On Thursday and Friday, they will perform Roald Dahl’s Matilda Jr.
What many do not remember is that the Hill School (formerly the McKinley School) has had a Drama Club for over 20 years. The first production, American Experience, was produced under the direction of PTA moms, Janet Cimmino and KIm Oliva along with former 5th grade teacher, Dan Hanlon. “In 2002 a 5th grade teacher, Dan Hanlon, knew I had a theater background and asked if I would like to help with a play and did I have any ideas? Kim Oliva, another PTA officer, loves theater and was so excited to bring it to our school and that is how Drama Club started! Unfortunately Dan left to teach in New Hampshire but Kim and I kept it going with different people jumping into help through the years.”
Cimmino, one of the Library Paraprofessionals at the Hill School for the past 16 years, joined forces with Music Teacher Chris DiBenedetto in 2014. “He turned our “shows” into productions. He has taken Drama Club to a whole new level. Corinne Ciano and Doug Fitzgerald are the Prop and Set Designers that create our amazing sets!”
Cimmino added, “The best part of Drama Club for me is watching students that have never done anything like it while discovering their voices. One of our students performing this year used to sit and watch all the rehearsals for Junie B. Jones when she was in Kindergarten. She learned lines and the choreography and couldn’t wait to finally be able to be part of a play. I love watching the cast becoming a family. There is nothing else like it and hopefully Drama Club will live on forever!”
Chris DiBenedetto, the Hill School’s K-5 Music teacher, had worked at the former McKinley School for 2 years and the new Hill School for the past 8 years. His involvement with the Drama Club stemmed from his background in music and directing. “I have a background in music directing community theater productions on the South Shore. I heard that the McKinley School had a long standing Drama Club. I wanted to feel part of the school community and share my time and skill so I joined up and haven’t looked back.”
DiBenedetto has many fond memories of the productions he has helped bring to life. “I have a special place in my heart for our production of Seussical in 2017. It was the first time in many years that the Drama Club would include both 4th and 5th graders because we now had the space to accommodate a larger group in the new Hill School. It meant our production value could go up as well with the sets, costumes and sound being better than we ever had available to us. That being said, our current production of Matilda is going to be something I think we’ll all remember for a long time. These kids are so talented and have been working so hard. I can’t wait for folks to see what they’ve been up to.”
“I am so humbled by the community support for our drama productions. Last spring we held two performances of Aladdin. It was the first opportunity we had to invite families back into the schools. We sold out both shows, and we are very close to selling out both of our shows of Matilda, something our group has never done two years in a row. We are lucky to have such involved families who support the arts and our students.”
Corinne Ciano, the Props and Set designer, enjoys having former students be part of the productions each year. One thing that I love about the crew part of drama club is the ability to invite former students back to be a part of the show. We have many former students who are now in middle school or at RHS that come back, earn community/school hours and are able to not only help us but can give back to the school they grew up in. We could not do what we do without them!”
The Hill School’s performances of Matilda will be held at 4:00 p.m. TIckets are $5.00 and can be purchased at the Hill School.
