Culver City Kids Produce, Direct and Star in ‘Once on This Island’

Last weekend, Culver City Middle School's G.A.T.E. (Gifted and Talented Education) Program treated the community to two evenings of the Broadway musical: Once on This Island, book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, music by Stephen Flaherty. However, the audience, cast and crew were treated to a once in a lifetime experience.

The District's Robert Frost Auditorium was ablaze with song, dance, light and applause and Toscana Finke, the 12-year-old ballerina on stage choreographed the entire musical.

The 11-year-old lead actress/singer/dancer, Isabel Berliner, doubled as musical director and assistant producer. Seventh-grader Celine Cuadra, standing in for an indisposed cast member, played the part of Mama Euralie.

Celine directed the cast until she had to step in, and continued to do so after assuming the role. In words overheard in the audience, "It's not about the fact that this show happened to be enjoyable. What's amazing is that they did it themselves!"

Eighth-grader Mariko Rooks produced the show. Last year, students wrote, directed and produced an original dramatic production called, "Catching Butterflies," written by Sofia Frohna, a then-eighth grader at CCMS. This year, Mariko started by requesting $1,000 from the PTSA's Gifted and Talented Education budget as a down payment on the rights to Once on This Island.

She then continued to fundraise for the rest of her pre-production costs, marshalling the efforts of students from all grades at Culver City Middle School. Mariko held auditions and rehearsals. When necessary, she worked directly with administrators, teachers and parents at both CCMS and Culver City High School - which shares the auditorium - to organize the venue, supervise her fellow students, secure props, lighting, sound, music and manage all aspects of the production.

If you are interested in finding out more about Culver City Middle School's Gifted and Talented Education Program, please contact G.A.T.E. Coordinator, Ruth Morris, at ruthmorris@ccusd.org.

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