The
original animated Schoolhouse Rock television series was The brainchild
of an advertising executive who noticed his son could remember all
the words to popular songs on the radio, but could not remember
the multiplication tables He reasoned that ~f important educational
information was coupled with exciting animation and catchy music,
children would be able 10 learn and remember it.
From
this simple idea, Schoolhouse Rock was born as three-minute Cartoon
music videos that Literally sang the praises of nouns, counting
by fives, and gravity ABC-TV adopted the project and broadcast
the series on Saturday mornings from 1973 to 1985. Twenty-five
years, 41 songs, and tour Emmy Awards later, those of us who grew
up with Multiplication Rock, America Rock, Science Rock. and Grammar
Pock can sing the Preamble 10 the U.S. Constitution and know that
"and"," but" and "or' all belong In Conjunction
Junction.
Generation
X interest n Schoolhouse Rock stayed strong long after an exercise
show featuring Mary Lou Retton bumped The SGIIGS off the air.
The cartoons returned to the Saturday morning ABC line-up in 1992
and several new songs hove been added to I he repertoire.
Theatre
BAM took Schoolhouse Rock in a new direction In 1990 and developed
a stage adaptation of The series - - Schoolhouse Rack Live! which
opened in Chicago on August 26, 1993
Theatre
BAM's adaptation of Schoolhouse Rock Live! first ran late nights
and the basement theatre at Care Voltaire and later moved to prime
time and the Body Politic Theatre for a total or more than 300
performances jammed with nostalgic twenty something's, young families,
and others Theatre 8AM later learned UP with Move On Productions
and took Schoolhouse Rock Live! to New York City in 1995. SRL!
opened the first Atlantic Theater and then at the historic Lomb's
Theatre for an Off-Broadway run of eleven months. The show returned
to Chicago in 1996 and ran for a year at the Victory Gardens Theater
and the Theatre Building.
Theatre
DAM has always been dedicated to teaching out to school audiences
Our abbreviated version of SAL! has been on the road of least
eight times a month since 1 YYS. The production's diverse audiences
have Included students from the Cabrini Green Tutoring Program,
The Sonia Shankman Orthopedic School. and 3,000 high school students
at the Illinois High School Theatre Festival at the University
of Illinois.
Theatre 8AM has always been dedicated to reaching out to school
audiences and on abbreviated version of SRL has been on the road
at least eight times a month since 1993. The productions diverse
audiences have included students from the Cabrint Green Tutoring
Program. the Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, and 3,000 high
school students at the Illinois High School Theatre Festival at
the University of Illinois Illinois
ABC has finally begun to realize the potential of their own cartoon
and the Schoolhouse Rock phenomenon is in full force: CD-ROMs
a cover album with bands like Blind Melon and Pavement, greeting
cards, toys, hats and brand new songs on Saturdays along with
the release of re-mastered cartoon videos.
Theatre
BAM is thrilled that SRL! Is now also available to other theatre
companies and school drama departments through Music Theatre International.
Productions for 1997 include a national tour, the Canadian premiere,
and even a production in London's West End.
We
think we can we think we can.