Archive: Arts & Entertainment

Physics fun for the whole family comes to Kitchen Theatre Company this month!   KTC collaborates with Xraise (the outreach arm of Cornell University's Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences and Eduction) and young actors from Running to Places Theatre Company to present two performances of the original musical, Physics Fair by Rachel Lampert and Lesley Greene. Performances are Saturday January 24th and Saturday, January 31st at 1:00 PM. Physics Fair is appropriate for ages five to ninety-five.
 
What do you do if your middle school is so ordinary, so humdrum, so boring that nothing ever changes? Even the school's motto celebrates the fact that 'one day's like the other in every way!' Well, if you are in Mr. Mundani's (root word: mundane) sixth grade class, you stand up and ask for something new! You introduce the school's first ever Physics Fair, promise not to ring the bell in the bell tower, and turn Mildweather Middle School upside down.

Physics makes the world go 'round, and Mildweather Middle School has a new curiosity for science that can't be stopped. And after seeing the talented young cast, hearing the catchy songs and watching the astounding physics demonstrations, you and the young people in your life may find your lives changed, just like the Mildweather middle schoolers!


 
Physics Fair is written by Kitchen Theatre Company Artistic Director Rachel Lampert (book & lyrics) and Associate Producer Lesley Greene (music & lyrics). Lampert and Greene have collaborated on many musicals for young people, including Science Fair, Park Play, Winter Tales, Emmett & Ella's Big Apple Escapade, and Fools! Schmools!  Kitchen Theatre Artistic Associate Emily Jackson directs, and the music director is Patrick Young. Lighting design is by Paul Radassao. Kitchen Theatre Company artistic interns Zoe Benditt and Jenni Kuhn serve as assistant directors.
 
Playing Mildweather's sixth graders are real-life middle and high school students Elisheva Glaser, Christian Henry, Erin Hilgartner, Imri Leshed, Caitlin Mallory, Kayla Markwardt, and Lucian Mead-VanCort. Their teacher, Mr. Mundani, is played by Joey Steinhagen, Artistic Director of Running to Places Theatre Company. Lesley Greene plays the school's principal, Ms. Standard.
 
Physics Fair is produced in collaboration with Lora Hine and Erik Herman of Xraise, the outreach arm of the Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator Based Sciences and Education (CLASSE). Hine and Herman designed and built the physics demos for Physics Fair, and they also make an appearance in the play! Cornell physicist Peter Wittich provided additional feedback about the science in the play. Funding was provided in part by a grant from the American Physical Society.
 
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