“”History has never been so fun or so fast. Students from the School of Technology and Arts II (SOTA II) have worked for weeks learning about the Revolutionary War. Students have also been perfecting their acting skills, editing scripts, and creating costumes, sets, and props as they prepared to present the Entire American Revolution (in 40 minutes or less.)
This fast-paced historical comedy by Eddie McPherson is written for elementary and middle school audiences and touches on the major points of America’s quest for independence. The fast-and-loose comedy plays like a highlight reel of history in hilarious fashion. SOTA II took the show on the road for the school’s first traveling theater production. The students performed the play at schools throughout the School District of La Crosse with hopes that fellow students will laugh and learn as they watch patriots such as George Washington, Paul Revere, Samuel and John Adams, Patrick Henry, and Benjamin Franklin battle King George III and his British soldiers.
“It’s been really fun to learn about history through an artistic way like this,” said SOTA II seventh-grader Kaitlyn Erickson. “Even if kids think history isn’t something they are interested in, this might change your mind because this way of learning about it and seeing it makes you feel like you are a part of history and helps give you a better understanding of why these events were important.”
“I’m really happy and very proud of the work we’ve all done during the weeks getting this performance ready,” said SOTA II eighth-grader Gwena Ehlers. “This is a special play and we’re excited to share our work and what we’ve learned with kids at schools all over the city. We want them to know that history can be fun and you can learn about it in really interesting ways.”
From the Boston Tea Party to the Battle of Bunker Hill to the crossing of the Delaware and onward to the British surrender at Yorktown, the historical met the hysterical in this super flexible and easy-to-stage one act delight.
“History is alive and it’s a creative activity,” said SOTA II teacher Josh Wolcott. “We’re making history engaging. This has opened up so many opportunities to stop in the middle of rehearsals and ask ‘do you know why they’re saying that, do you know the history here,’ and the history then for the students is really meaningful.”””””[vc_gallery type=”flexslider_slide” interval=”0″ images=”12981,12985,12983,12982,12984,12986,12988,12987,13007,13008,12989,12990,12991,12992,12993,12996,12994,12995,12998,12997,13001,12999,13002,13003,13000,13004,13005,13006″ img_size=”625×417″]””””[vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF-EGDh3WI4″ align=”center”]””
