Capstones
Graduation Date
Fall 12-15-2017
Grading Professor
Steve Daly
Subject Concentration
Arts & Culture
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Abstract
St. Ephrem School, located in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, just introduced its drama program in Fall 2016. After much success with last year’s first-ever production of Disney’s “Aladdin JR.," the St. Ephrem students put on “Elf the Musical JR.” in time for the winter holiday season in December 2017. But it’s not your mediocre school drama club, putting on simple pageants. It’s more like Broadway Lite – and it’s part of a cross-country wave of professionalization hitting grade-school plays.
Project can be found at http://erindegregorio.com/grade-school-productions.html
Recommended Citation
DeGregorio, Erin, "When Grade Schools Stage Musicals, It’s Broadway or Bust ..." (2017). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gj_etds/220
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_1.JPG (4325 kB)
The girls of the St. Ephrem School Drama Club, all dressed up as elves before hitting the stage on opening night for "Elf the Musical, JR." (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_2.jpg (4702 kB)
Buddy the Elf - played by sixth grader Julia McLoughlin - discovers that there's a fake Santa in the department store. (Brooklyn, New York) (Sunday, December 10, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_3.jpg (4285 kB)
Walter Hobbs - played by faculty member Richard Diffendale - asks security (fifth grader Joseph Gabriele and fourth grader Louis Fecci) to take Buddy (McLoughlin) away from his office immediately. (Brooklyn, New York) (Sunday, December 10, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_4.jpg (4184 kB)
Walter Hobbs (Diffendale) getting yelled at by his boss, Miss Greenway (fourth grader Zayla Cabrera). (Brooklyn, New York) (Sunday, December 10, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_5.jpg (4285 kB)
Buddy (McLoughlin) trying to pitch his story to Miss Greenway (Cabrera) so his biological father, Walter Hobbs (Diffendale), doesn't get fired. (Brooklyn, New York) (Sunday, December 10, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_6.jpg (4702 kB)
The elves in Macy's Department Store, listening to Buddy the Elf (played by seventh grader Eamon Walsh) sing about celebrating Christmas. (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_7.jpg (4373 kB)
Jovie - played by fifth grader Elizabeth "Liza" Donnelly - sings at the Rink at Rockefeller Center, with a 'normal'-dressed Buddy (Walsh) nearby. (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_8.jpg (3873 kB)
Fifth grader Victoria Colonna's mother helps some of the girls with their hair and get that perfect ballerina bun. (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_9.jpg (4822 kB)
Some of the girls' accessories scattered along the steps of the stage's back stairwell while they perform on stage for opening night. (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_10.jpg (1029 kB)
The cast of St. Ephrem School's "Aladdin JR." production in January 2017. (Brooklyn, New York) (Sunday, January 15, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_11.jpg (4509 kB)
Fourth grader Matthew Donnelly, fifth grader Jonathan Dopson, fifth grader Roman Garratt, fifth grader Mark Manfredi and fourth grader Louis Fecci backstage on opening night. (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_12.jpg (4522 kB)
Buddy the Elf (McLoughlin) can't believe that he's actually human after Santa Clause – played by fifth grader Nicholas Stroffolino – confirms it's true. (Brooklyn, New York) (Sunday, December 10, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_13.jpg (3380 kB)
The cast and crew of "Elf the Musical, JR." with play director Susan Huizinga (Top row, last one on the right). (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
The girls of the St. Ephrem School Drama Club, all dressed up as elves before hitting the stage on opening night for "Elf the Musical, JR." (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_2.jpg (4702 kB)
Buddy the Elf - played by sixth grader Julia McLoughlin - discovers that there's a fake Santa in the department store. (Brooklyn, New York) (Sunday, December 10, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_3.jpg (4285 kB)
Walter Hobbs - played by faculty member Richard Diffendale - asks security (fifth grader Joseph Gabriele and fourth grader Louis Fecci) to take Buddy (McLoughlin) away from his office immediately. (Brooklyn, New York) (Sunday, December 10, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_4.jpg (4184 kB)
Walter Hobbs (Diffendale) getting yelled at by his boss, Miss Greenway (fourth grader Zayla Cabrera). (Brooklyn, New York) (Sunday, December 10, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_5.jpg (4285 kB)
Buddy (McLoughlin) trying to pitch his story to Miss Greenway (Cabrera) so his biological father, Walter Hobbs (Diffendale), doesn't get fired. (Brooklyn, New York) (Sunday, December 10, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_6.jpg (4702 kB)
The elves in Macy's Department Store, listening to Buddy the Elf (played by seventh grader Eamon Walsh) sing about celebrating Christmas. (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_7.jpg (4373 kB)
Jovie - played by fifth grader Elizabeth "Liza" Donnelly - sings at the Rink at Rockefeller Center, with a 'normal'-dressed Buddy (Walsh) nearby. (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_8.jpg (3873 kB)
Fifth grader Victoria Colonna's mother helps some of the girls with their hair and get that perfect ballerina bun. (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_9.jpg (4822 kB)
Some of the girls' accessories scattered along the steps of the stage's back stairwell while they perform on stage for opening night. (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_10.jpg (1029 kB)
The cast of St. Ephrem School's "Aladdin JR." production in January 2017. (Brooklyn, New York) (Sunday, January 15, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_11.jpg (4509 kB)
Fourth grader Matthew Donnelly, fifth grader Jonathan Dopson, fifth grader Roman Garratt, fifth grader Mark Manfredi and fourth grader Louis Fecci backstage on opening night. (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_12.jpg (4522 kB)
Buddy the Elf (McLoughlin) can't believe that he's actually human after Santa Clause – played by fifth grader Nicholas Stroffolino – confirms it's true. (Brooklyn, New York) (Sunday, December 10, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio
PHOTO_DeGregorio_Erin_13.jpg (3380 kB)
The cast and crew of "Elf the Musical, JR." with play director Susan Huizinga (Top row, last one on the right). (Brooklyn, New York) (Friday, December 8, 2017) / Photo: Erin DeGregorio