One by one, a group of students from Butler Avenue School walked up to a microphone sitting just below the stage at the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center. The students were all part of one of eight performances of the Class Acts-Sampson CenterStage Performing Arts Series.

Thursday’s performance, “Wrights of Passage,” was presented to third- and fourth-grade students from across Sampson County. It was the story of the passion and focus of the Wright Brothers, who wanted to prove man could fly. During their portrayal of the brothers, an abstract replica of the famous flyer came to life on the stage.

The students were all part of the cast, reading segments of the script and helping tell the story.

“I really liked the way the actors involved the students in the play,” Butler Avenue School’s AIG teacher Christie Tyndall said. “They had cards for them to read and the actor met with the students prior to the play starting and told them what to expect.”

Students Jose Bonilla and Makaylee Knight, third graders, were both part of the action.

“I was excited about being part of the play by reading the cards,” Jose shared. “The actors had lots of jokes that I liked.”

Makaylee, too, liked the actor’s and their portrayal of the historic Wright brothers.

“I really liked how the actors talked about building the airplane while they went through building a plane on stage,” she said.

In the last 19 years, more than 100,000 students have been positively impacted by the series through performances presented in partnership with the local school systems and provided free-of-charge through the generous financial contributions of many individuals, businesses and corporate sponsors from across Sampson County. Since the inception of Class Acts, supporters have contributed over $500,000 to fund the series.

“Class Acts performances expose our students to new cultures and they examine history and foster creative thinking,” Ray Jordan, executive director of the Sampson County Exposition Center, said. “The students are exposed to something different and offered a different point of view, and their way of thinking is challenged in a fun and entertaining way.”

According to Jordan, the performances are not only entertaining, but they also provide students with an opportunity to learn in a creative atmosphere that adds to and enhances each student’s overall educational experiences.

During the past week, over 8,000 students and teachers have filled the seats in Heritage Hall to experience the magic and excitement of attending one of eight live performing arts events. Students in grades first through eighth attend the shows.

This year’s series kicked off Tuesday with pop/rock trio Big Bang Book for students in first and second grade. Big Bang Boom filled the room with children’s music with a pop sensibility performing children’s favorites as well as their own original songs for young audiences.

Wednesday’s performance for seventh- and eighth-graders was an a cappela group, Transit Vocal Band, based in North Carolina. The musical group traced the development of the contemporary a cappela genre, and explained how science and technology enhance sound and the human voice.

The final performance for the year, the Beast, provides fifth- and sixth-graders a mix of hip hop and jazz with tap dancers, puppeteers and spoken word artists. The performers will present “SANKOFA: African American Music from Spirituals to Hip Hop,” from which students will learn elements of storytelling, improvisation and call and response in American music.

“It’s important that our students are offered different opportunities like those that Class Acts provides,” Jordan said. “Not only are the shows fun, they are very educational. When choosing the performances we present, we always examine the curriculum connections to insure that each performance aligns with each grade levels course of study.”

By Kristy D. Carter

kcarter@clintonnc.com

Copy Editor Kristy D. Carter can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 2588.

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