In this episode of the oneSMFC podcast, Superintendent Ochoa is joined by Borel Middle School Teacher and Drama Director Alyssa Goldrath and the cast of Goosebumps The Musical!
This episode spotlights the very unique journeys each student had during the making of the musical. Regardless of your background, the arts play a pivotal role in nurturing students' creativity, and we take immense pride in our district's thriving theater program, providing a platform for students to explore their artistic potential.
Get your tickets now: https://ow.ly/b3ZB50QJrLp
In this episode of the oneSMFC podcast, Superintendent Ochoa is joined by Borel Middle School Teacher and Drama Director Alyssa Goldrath and the cast of Goosebumps The Musical!
This episode spotlights the very unique journeys each student had during the making of the musical. Regardless of your background, the arts play a pivotal role in nurturing students' creativity, and we take immense pride in our district's thriving theater program, providing a platform for students to explore their artistic potential.
Get your tickets now: https://ow.ly/b3ZB50QJrLp
These students are taking a huge risk. They're going up on stage and being silly and playing and being creative, and that takes a lot of courage.
Speaker 2:But being a teacher is like completely different, like Miss G has told me a lot of things Like teachers are so cool.
Speaker 4:First of all, and then with Brian. I just had to kind of be more anxious and nervous because, that's kind of how I view Brian, and he's just trying to be like helpful to everyone else, help out with the show. He's new. He's the new kid.
Speaker 5:Stage crew is actually what made me want to do the musical, because I could see all the actual cast members like performing and it just looks so much fun. And so then the next year I auditioned and I got in.
Speaker 3:And welcome back everybody to the OneSMFC podcast. My name is Diego Ochoha, I'm superintendent of the San Mateo Foster City School District and I don't think I've ever done a podcast with a crowd this big. So usually I ask them to cheer for me because it just makes me feel more confident. Will you guys cheer for me? I was that kid in school that was just like. Any claps that you can give me are just really great for my self-esteem. So that's who I am. I want to know who you are and I'm going to pass it over to our first student.
Speaker 6:Hi, I'm Eliza Jane and I play Brooke Rogers.
Speaker 7:Hi, I'm Sam Jacobs and I play Zeke Matthews.
Speaker 4:Hi, I'm Damien Campos and I play Brian Colson.
Speaker 8:I'm Jules Singh and I'm in the ensemble Hi.
Speaker 2:I'm Elsa Huberera and I play Miss Walker.
Speaker 9:Hi, my name is Luke Waiman and I'm in the ensemble.
Speaker 5:Hi, I'm Audrey Jo and I'm in the ensemble.
Speaker 10:Hi, I'm Lucas Dillian and I'm also in the ensemble.
Speaker 11:Hi, I'm Alma Monton and I'm in the ensemble.
Speaker 1:My name is Alyssa Goldrath and I am the Burrell Drama Teacher and Director. Producer of Goosebumps, the Musical.
Speaker 3:And she's also a person that loves having a microphone in her hand. All educators, we love talking, we love leading and actually, you know, for all the listeners, it's sort of cool to be in a room with so many kids all at the same time, who have their each each has their own individual perspective to share on this huge performance that we're going to have here called Goosebumps, and I'm going to pass it back to you as the leader of this team. Just tell us about the performances themselves when is the first show, when is the second show, and how do you set up that whole process?
Speaker 1:Thanks. Goosebumps opens this Friday, march 1st. We have a show at 7 o'clock on March 1st and that's our big opening night alumni night and one of our traditions that we developed here at Burrell Drama is inviting all of our alumni to come back on opening night and they create a huge cheering section and it creates this incredible sense of community. And we also have a tradition to bring our seniors up for a senior bow and this class is extra special. This is the class that we were shut down a week before our show was to open their eighth grade year, so it's going to be extra special to bring them up together on stage and give them that actual applause and final bow moment together on March 1st. I'm really excited about it.
Speaker 1:We also have a show March 2nd at 7 o'clock and March 3rd at 2 o'clock. You can get more information at BurrellDramacom and we'll have tickets available there and at the box office and come out and support the. I think we have about 150 students on and off stage in this production that we have been working on since. Well, I started last year, probably around April, working on this production, but the students audition in October, and so we've been working on it for a while and we have some incredible talent here and a sense of community working together to tell this story by Arl Stein.
Speaker 3:You know, having been an educator for 25 years and working with middle schools and high schools, my first experience was three years ago when you all put on 13, right, and I left that performance and I texted my spouse and I said I think I just watched a high school performance, but it was a bunch of middle school students. What you all are doing in this program, I need to really, just, you know, give you a perspective outside of San Mateo County. It is not normal. What you are doing is far, far ahead of what a typical middle school program is, where you said 150, that's. You know, we would have to take a survey to like verify it, but it's in the top 1%. It's really hard to get that many kids involved. We heard from some of the kids here in the room with us they're part of the ensemble. Help me and help our listeners understand what does it mean to be in the ensemble? What are some of the things that you do as a cast member in the ensemble?
Speaker 8:Being in the ensemble. We're all a big group, we're all working together and so, basically, we're setting the scene for all the weeks.
Speaker 3:Is it like a family kind of?
Speaker 8:Yeah, we all have to work together.
Speaker 3:We all have our own part, but it all joins into something together, but like a family, like you kind of fight with each other sometimes too, and Sometimes, but Like there's an older, sister and a younger sister and a younger brother and there's a mischievous one and there's a quite Is it kind of like that?
Speaker 8:There's definitely different. There's definitely different people, because everyone brings their own thing to the scenes.
Speaker 1:I think one of my favorite parts of our program is six, seven, then eighth graders coming together to work on one common goal with all different backgrounds. So we have some students whotheater is their thing. They study it since they were little. They're dancing, they're singing, they're acting. And then we have some who join us, who are athletes, who are taking a risk and trying something new and seeing how they can take some of their skills that they develop on a court or a field. And how can you apply that here? We have professional athletes that have been part of our program that are now off, you know, playing minor league, baseball and things of that nature. So it's bringing groups of students together who wouldn't necessarily be friends out at the lunch court and finding this common community and having to work together to tell this story.
Speaker 3:So you're sitting there with the mic all quiet. I want to hear from you.
Speaker 10:Well being an ensemble there's Basically everybody just learns at sometimes their own rate, but the common goal is just to like work together, just, you know, put on a good show for everybody.
Speaker 3:I think there's lots of teachers and lots of educators that listen to this podcast and what you just described is actually really hard for all of our educational community to deliver on, and that's for kids to feel like they can learn at their own pace. You mentioned, ms Goldrath, that these you have kids who do this their whole life, that literally take acting classes outside of school and things like that. What is it like to get such a big group of kids 100 and some odd kids and have kids with who do this, breathe it, sleep it, and then other kids who are like? I heard we put on a performance and I want to know more about that. What's that like?
Speaker 1:One of the things my team and I have developed over the years is creating this professional experience, so we bring in professional musical directors, choreographers, tech people to come and give our students the full experience, if you will, and it's one of the beautiful things about performing at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center, this iconic huge theater that we are able to perform at.
Speaker 1:Because of our large group and our large audiences and the support from the community and the San Mateo Fosteray School District, we are able to be at this incredible theater, thank you. And so when you get on the stage and you get everybody on the stage, regardless of experience, it's this common experience that we are all living and breathing together and we only work if we are all there, focused and doing our jobs. It's pretty special to watch somebody go for example, these three over here from Stage Crew coming in sort of at the last minute learning how to help with sets and props, to now coming in and being part of the cast and watching that flip as well. Or watching someone like Luca, who is an athlete and come in in sixth grade and take a risk and realize that this whole experience can be super fun and rewarding as well. It's one of the best parts about this job.
Speaker 5:Stage Crew was actually really fun. Stage Crew was actually what made me want to do the musical, because I could see all the actual cast members performing and it just looked so much fun. And so then the next year I auditioned and I got in and I had just such a blast with it and I'll never forget my Stage Crew experience and I kind of like I applaud those that are doing Stage Crew now because it's actually really hard.
Speaker 3:You don't underestimate Stage Crew. Is it hard physical work too sometimes?
Speaker 5:Well, I was in Prop Crew so it wasn't as hard physically for me. I think it was more hard for Deck Crew because they were like pushing around the sets on and off stage.
Speaker 3:But it can also be kind of stressful too, though, right, because you're like the work that you're doing, you have to do it like in a very specific time, in a very particular way, right? Yes, very much so you can't be clomping around in your shoes, and then the audience can't. You know, it's sort of designed to sort of happen in these very specific timelines, right?
Speaker 5:I think someone said mentioned it Stage Crew only comes in a week before, so you have maybe like a day to learn all your cues and learn the props, learn the show. So if you miss your cue it's not good.
Speaker 1:And all in the dark.
Speaker 3:And in the dark. That's right. So let me ask you you've been hearing everybody else's comments about what they're looking forward to with this show. I'm curious from your perspective what is the one thing going into Friday night that you say I can't wait for this one thing.
Speaker 11:I think usually I'd say intermission, but honestly, anytime I'm on stage or like off stage because when I'm off stage I get a watch like others, like shine or whatever, and like do their part- that's really sweet. But, like when I'm on stage, it's also like really fun to like watch out and know that like everyone's I don't know how to word this- they're shining. Yeah, basically like you're helping move the story along.
Speaker 3:Yeah, your teachers talked about that a couple of times. That you're telling someone else's story? Yeah, is that an honor and a responsibility?
Speaker 10:Yeah, all right, let me hear about Ms Walker.
Speaker 3:I want to know all about this role. Tell me about the role. What I mean? It's like the adult role, right, yeah, Okay. So tell me about this role in Goosebumps.
Speaker 2:It's pretty new for me, especially because I've been ensemble for the last two years, so this is literally the first time. I've ever like kind of like starred-ish or like been like an actual character with lines. But it's quite different than I expected because with like Brooke and Zeke and Brian, yeah, yeah, I was about to say Damien, the non-Ms Walker roles.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so like the student roles.
Speaker 2:For the past three years we've always done like. For me, we've done like musicals that take place at schools, so I've gotten used to like being a student like an ensemble, like acting like a student, like wearing and like like just like being like a student. Yeah, it's like a natural thing for you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's like a natural thing for you.
Speaker 2:But being a teacher is like completely different. Like Ms G has told me a lot, of things Like teachers are so cool. First of all, yeah, ms G has told me, like stand like one, you have to like dress and like be in character, like be on top of everything.
Speaker 3:Oh, wow.
Speaker 2:Because, like, as students, like you stand differently, but as an adult, like you, have to like lead with different things. Like for me. I've learned that, like, wearing different, like shoes helps me stay in character, because me as a person, I'm completely different from my role, but you're also surrounded by a bunch of kids you go to school with. Yeah.
Speaker 3:So it's like even different than like being in a performance outside of school, where you meet a cast and you sort of like you come together here, these kids are in a bunch of other classes with you the rest of your school day, right, kind of yeah Well they're at least at school with you, right? And then when you're in this performance, when you're doing all the work that goes into goosebumps. What's something that just makes you smile about the process? What's something that brings you joy about being a part of this, this performance?
Speaker 2:It's really the people, because the people, like at the beginning of the year, like at beginning during auditions, I think we're all like kind of split up because we're like I want this role, I want this role, I want to be that, I want to be this. So we're all like kind of like quote unquote competing against each other.
Speaker 2:And then we finally get the roles and then we all start coming together like figuring out like, oh, I can work like this, I can work like that. And then stage crew comes in and then they get added to the family and it's so fun to like watch. Like they come in like literally like a week before the actual opening night, but they like combine with like everyone else so well, like we perfectly like blend in with each other and like interact with each other like really well.
Speaker 3:Many of you are also musicians, right, yeah, and would you call it a symphony of actors coming together and you have a conductor of this symphony, right, and you have somebody right Because you're tell me about your role. Your, your brook.
Speaker 6:She's very different than me because she's very nerdy and you're not at all nerdy. When it comes to theater. I am but other than that not really. But she's a really fun role because she in ways is like me, but she's kind of more up tight, I guess, at times. And it helps me play her when I'm wearing glasses and I found like ways to play with them and kind of like use them with her, I guess.
Speaker 3:Is it a little bit like like having a friend in that, like you have to get to know this character?
Speaker 6:Yeah, I got to know her better by reading the actual book.
Speaker 3:I was just about to ask if you read. Yeah.
Speaker 6:I read the book and I was kind of like more like, okay, I know who this is. They have like a TV episode. Yeah, I watched that too. Yeah, I just kind of. When I first found out about the show, my heart was just set on getting her because I just thought she was. She has the best songs and I love her.
Speaker 3:You were excited about it. So now tell me about it. What time is the performance? Friday night, the alumni Seven o'clock, seven o'clock, 7pm for all you listen. So it's five o'clock on Friday. You're two hours away. Tell me what's like. What are you feeling? What's? Are you kind of like I don't want to talk to anybody. I want my headphones on. Are you more like I need to be around everybody who tell me about what your process is? A couple hours before the show.
Speaker 6:I'm not the nicest person to be next to I. I get really stressed. I don't eat. I try to I don't.
Speaker 3:I drink a lot of water like a lot of water, all right. Well, good, you guys stay hydrated.
Speaker 6:Yeah, I rely on like tea, I take a bath.
Speaker 3:I just kind of like get myself together as much mellowing as you can do, yeah.
Speaker 6:Taylor Swift is always pounding in my house. Okay, nice, my dad, swiftie, swifty, he wants to leave when that happens, like old Taylor Swift 1989. Everything. What's the?
Speaker 3:new one, new poet, something, oh yeah.
Speaker 6:Poet, something new Poet. That's not come yet, but I'm excited this summer. But it is coming soon.
Speaker 3:Okay, all right, let me hear from you. Tell me about your process.
Speaker 7:So Zeke is like he's very big of a prankster, which is like not like me. I like to joke around, but not as much as he does, because he like scares a lot and he like puts himself out there a lot. And one thing that helps me is like probably just like wearing different clothes, like when you're Zeke, and also trying to walk differently, because I think it's really hard to like do a character if you're just like wearing the same thing.
Speaker 3:But you also like you're around other people who are pranksters. I'm sure I mean you're in middle school, right? Isn't that kind of like. There's just a lot of pranking and messing around that goes on in middle school, right, and then do you take a little bit of inspiration from that as well, just kind of, you know, taking cues. Or is it really more about like studying the character and studying maybe the book Goosebumps, or how do you? How do you piece it all together?
Speaker 7:Well, he scares like I mean Prank's, like weird cause, like he's, I don't know Okay.
Speaker 3:Give me an example of a prank.
Speaker 7:Like scaring people.
Speaker 3:Like he likes to scare people a lot. Yeah, like like jump from out behind.
Speaker 7:Yeah, jumping from behind someone, the shock factor, yeah, which is probably not something I would do, but and then you're going to perform.
Speaker 3:You're going to perform with it, along with everybody else, Friday night 7pm. Who are you looking at in the audience? Will you have some of your friends from school? Are you really looking? Are you trying? Are you trying not to look at the audience? Tell me about that part of it.
Speaker 7:Well, yeah, we have this like light which is like center stage, and it's like if you don't want to look at the audience, then you look at that because, like, sometimes you don't want to see the audience is like reaction If you're like cause they could be like making weird faces and like you don't want to see that. So you just want to like try to avoid the audience. That's what I do. I just try to avoid the audience as much as I can.
Speaker 3:All right, pass the mic. Let me hear from you. Tell me about your role and tell me about. We have to be a little vague with Damien.
Speaker 10:Okay, you can be a little vague. We'll work with you on that, go ahead.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I don't know how much I'm allowed to say.
Speaker 3:I don't know how much I'm allowed to say. I don't know how much I'm allowed to say. The minimal amount possible.
Speaker 4:Brian to play this role. Well, I don't feel like there's too much different about me, and then with Brian, I just had to kind of be more anxious and nervous because that's kind of how I view Brian and he's just trying to be like helpful to everyone else, help out with the show he's new.
Speaker 3:he's the new kid. He's the new kid, All right, so let me ask you about you. Some kids have been doing this their whole life. Do you fall into that category? Are you new to this?
Speaker 4:Not really. I mean, I did the show all three years, but before that I had also been doing like some like theater programs over the summer too.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. And so when you came to middle school, did you know that this program was here already?
Speaker 4:Yeah, because my sister went to this school before I did and she's a really really big like theater nerd Big sister.
Speaker 3:She's a big sister, but that's all right. And is she coming back? Is she a senior? How much older is she?
Speaker 4:She's in college now. It's her first year, nice.
Speaker 3:So was she on stage last year for alumni night. You know when they bring the seniors.
Speaker 4:I'm pretty sure she was yeah.
Speaker 3:Oh, awesome.
Speaker 4:And she's gonna fly back down from LA to see the show, which is kind of scary Wow.
Speaker 3:And special.
Speaker 4:Yeah Well, she's gonna fly up from LA.
Speaker 3:Well, yeah, oh. So let me ask you this there's a bunch of fifth graders that go to school in this school district and they attend Sunnybray, baywood Highlands college, even.
Speaker 11:Georgia yeah.
Speaker 3:So I just want you know you're talking to a fifth grader right now. Why should they come to when they come to Burrell, why should they want to join this class and this program?
Speaker 4:Okay, well, you already said this before, but this program is very different than a lot of other theater programs. It's something special. It's, you know, it's like a family, the Burrell drama family. That's what they call it, right, you know?
Speaker 11:yeah.
Speaker 4:The Burrell drama family.
Speaker 11:You just heard it.
Speaker 4:Because that is yeah, because that is what it's like, and even if you're part of the crew, if you don't even want to be on stage performing, even if you're part of the crew, you're still part of, like you know, the Burrell drama family and there's some people you know who are fine with doing crew. They've done it like all three years. I think that's cool, which proves that you don't have to be on stage to be a part of this, but it's just a special experience and getting to be on stage with all of like the costumes, the lights, the live orchestra that's a fun part. And even if you don't want to do it all three years, just at least try it for one year because it's a special experience.
Speaker 3:Boom, there we go. Luca, we haven't heard from you. Tell us what you're doing in the performance.
Speaker 9:I saw the ensemble, so I'm just like the background dancers for the leads, but I think it's a really cool experience, this program, and six years ago my mom forced me to do it, but I'm really happy she did it.
Speaker 3:So tell me about the. She forced you like kind of twisting your arm behind your back, forest or no it's. I'm exciting you up for this.
Speaker 9:So she kind of persuaded me because a bunch of my friends were doing it, so that kind of like influenced me to do it. But I'm just really happy I did it because this, yeah, it's really tight community and the Burrell drama family.
Speaker 3:And you're an athlete.
Speaker 9:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you and I were talking before the podcast. And big is it? Niner fan right.
Speaker 10:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Big Niner fan the condolences. And at the same time, a lot of athletes, I think they see the word drama or they see the word theater and they go. I don't, that's not me, or that do you do. Some of your teammates and friends Do they ask like bro, what's up? Like we do know, I mean talk a little bit about that.
Speaker 9:I have to skip all our practices for the what's it called rehearsals, but which you're fine with yeah. I'm fine with, but not really. It's just. It's kind of like a I do this on the side but I mostly focused on sports. But like I'm just happy I did it because like it's a really good community here.
Speaker 3:Is it a little bit like a team?
Speaker 9:Yeah, I would say so because, like you have the leaders with the leads, like Brooke and Zeke, but then you have and the other one, and the other one.
Speaker 2:See more at Bro Drama Talks.
Speaker 9:But, yeah, I feel like those are the leaders, but then you have the ensemble and the stage crew, which are like the back, not the back-ups, but like they're still in it and they're still so connected with it. It's not like anyone has more power than anyone else.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, Is anyone in here sort of the type of person that likes to do the little, the little 15-second teaser leading into the thing? Like if you're going to watch a show, there's always like a little 12, 15-second like advertisement? Who kind of views themselves as that kind of person who could put together something just really great for people to hear for like 10 seconds, Like why they should come to this show?
Speaker 9:I'll go, I guess. Yeah, I think it's really it's not like other middle schools, like you said, because this program is GA and they really hire like professional, like, yeah, musicians and choreographers and stuff, and they really like put a lot of time and work into the show. So it's really like yeah, it's like it's like a high school show, like it's still really like professional and yeah, that's what I would.
Speaker 3:One of the things that has been the most special thing I've seen in these performances and I've never told you this in the time that we work together is the 30 minutes after the first performance. There are grown adults sobbing, there's a foyer and it's a big foyer, really big foyer, and it's filled with flowers and hugs and I love views and talk a little bit about why.
Speaker 1:These students are taking a huge risk. They're going up on stage and being silly and playing and being creative, and that takes a lot of courage. And being able to go up there and step into somebody else's shoes and tell somebody else's story and the teamwork that goes into that, it's powerful and, as an audience, hopefully, like we, are able to see this courage and then to look in the audience and also see how many students are seeing theater for the very first time and coming to support and cheer on their friends because they're involved in this production. It's I like to call it, theater magic.
Speaker 3:Alright, give me the rundown of the shows. The show is Friday night, March 1st, 7pm at San Mateo High School. Saturday what time do we run? On Saturday 7pm, no movies. Come to San Mateo High how about. Sunday, 2pm the matinee Ah, always has the best popcorn.