Monica LaSalle, Nederland. “I’m just a bill, yes I’m only a bill…” sings Annabel Ivey as she educates Teacher Tom, played by Noah Turner, about the basic workings of our government. Over the past weekend, Nederland Middle School Theater enacted School House Rock Live Jr., a part of The Broadway Junior Collection.

Bringing those of us from the older generation back to our younger days when public broadcasting included educational yet entertaining tweeners appearing between cartoons on Saturday morning, the cast performed hits such as “A Noun is a Person, Place or Thing,” and “Three is a Magic Number,” as they danced around stage in brightly colored clothes and props harking back to the 70s.

It was easy to see that the songs designed to instill vital information about history, culture, civics, math and language arts are just as much fun to newer generations as they were when they originally hit the airwaves. Touching on what was once portrayed as Manifest Destiny, the gang sang “Elbow Room,” a catching tune illustrating our country’s need to acquire land as more and more people flooded into the United States in its infancy.

“Do the Circulation” sung by Noah Turner, encouraged everyone to get their blood pumping regularly to maintain good health. “Interplanet Janet” was brilliantly executed from roller blades by Lucy Schalz as she zoomed in and around the planets and the sun on stage.

Once again, Liz Evans and an incredible cast and crew skillfully entertain NMSHS families and the Nederland community with colorful portrayals of timeless classics. Way to go!

(Originally published in the February 28, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)