Off to See... The Lippman Play

The Lippman School is following the yellow brick road for its 33rd annual school play. It presents Eretz Ootz, an original production based on The Wizard of Oz, on Wednesday, Feb. 10 and Thursday, Feb. 11, both at 5:30 pm. A spaghetti dinner follows the Thursday evening performance.

Lippman teachers, staff, parents and students, from transitional kindergarten (TK) to 8th grade, collaborate on stage production, acting, sets, costumes and rehearsals.

“It’s a challenge to create a production that not only includes, but highlights, everyone from grades TK- 8 in the play,” says Sarah Greenblatt, a Lippman teacher and director of the play. “But this is really important to us.” “Before our school started offering Spanish, the school play was entirely in Hebrew,” she says.

“In the past five years we have changed the play so that the script is in English, and we sing the songs in both Hebrew and Spanish. This way all students have an opportunity to have a lead whether they study Hebrew or Spanish. Although the language of the scripts and songs have changed, what remains constant is the great opportunity this play provides our students to get up on the stage and develop their performing arts talents and skills. It is also an amazing way to build confidence, self-esteem, cooperation and stage presence”

The tradition of an annual Lippman play dates back to 1983, and Greenblatt has been involved since its inception. Past plays have included original versions of The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, The Lion King, Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Fiddler on the Roof.

“Because we are a small school and everyone in the school gets to participate, some children who might never try out for a play discover that they have talents they didn't know they had,” Greenblatt explains. “It is so exciting and rewarding each year to watch the students do such a great job. The play is a labor of love. It is such a wonderful challenge for the children, and they really work hard and put their hearts into it, for the audience and themselves.”

General admission ticket prices for Wednesday's performance are $7 for adults, $3 for children. Thursday evening general admission ticket price includes dinner at $12 for adults and $8 for children. Children three and under are free. For more information and patron pricing, call the school office at 330-836-0419

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