BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Staff Writer
The Clarkston High School Drama Club is proud to announce their spring production of Robert Fulghum’s “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” with shows on Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23.
“Kindergarten is really about a reflection on a lot of the lessons you learned in Kindergarten that are still relevant to this day and the foundations Kindergarten really set for people to go into their adult life and handle what ever challenges can come at them,” said senior Claire McNeill.
The show, based on Robert Fulghum’s best-selling books, is storytelling in revue format
“It definitely bridges childhood to adulthood in a simplistic way,” added senior Adrianna Daigle. “Every story is different and conquers a different issue you deal with no matter how old you are in your life.”
Senior Olivia Hagar added it includes the basic principles and phrases most have heard all their lives since Kindergarten.

“It applies them to adult life which is very helpful to us in our senior year especially we are going into adulthood,” she said. “We are in this weird phase being a child and being adults.”
Senior Grace Delasko added it fluctuates between funny and serious scenes.
Each actor has a favorite story or song in the production.
Delasko likes Spider where she gets to use her mime experience.
“It’s a fun one,” she said. “I get to be a lady who runs into a web made by a spider. I get to scream on stage. It’s very fun to mime out the actions.”
Daigle shared her favorite is Cinderella, which is early in the show.
“It really showcases how it ties adulthood into all these children’s movies and terms,” she said. “This one is about being unique. It is one of the funniest. It’s really fun to watch on stage.”
Hagar’s favorite scene includes the song “Reflect the Light.”
“It’s very fun to sing and in our blocking and what is happening in the scene, Adrianna who is one of very good friends off stage, we have a moment when I walk up to her and we smile at each other. It’s so cool this relationship and friendship we have off stage will be showcased on stage at that moment. I am very thankful for it.”
The last scene, Are There Any Questions, is a favorite for McNeill.
“It has such a noticeably different tone to the rest of the show where all of the sudden there is so much energy,” she said. “Then, at the end it takes a somber tone. We all slow down for a moment. There is a beautiful moment we have the light stand and we are all holding these little mirrors. We are talking about how all of us have small mirrors, but with these mirrors we are able to reflect the light into darker places, into people’s hearts and really share the light we have with other people. I just love how beautiful conclusion it is for such an important show.”
The cast invites the community to see the show.
“I think a lot of people will enjoy it because of the music and the themes within the scenes and how personable it can become throughout the whole show,” Daigle said.
“It’s a show you are going to feel something and you are going to relate,” Hagar said. “It’s pretty deep for a high school show. It’s fun to perform, but it’s also going to be fun to see on a high school stage because other shows we do though they are fun they are very surface level. It’s cool to do something that has an impact on our lives.”
Daigle added not everyone is going to have the same experience.
“During one of my scenes I did with our director, Jennifer Ward, she had said some of the scenes she even related to,” Daigle said. “We related to them in a different way because of the different stages we are in our lives. It’s interesting the different perspectives everyone can get from the show.”
“One big thing that drew me to this show even before I auditioned for it was how unique it was,” McNeill shared. “It’s not like any other piece of theater you will see on the stage because it’s not about the characters. It’s about the lessons, the ideas, the simple joys, the highs and lows of life. Whether you are young or old you can still take something away from it whether it’s a little bit of laughter from the comedic scenes or something more nostalgic.
One of the things I take away from the show is it reminds me to be grateful,” she added. “It’s the big thing for me each time we perform it. Even if it is a long rehearsal, it’s been a long day, it’s so much fun to perform. You stop and listen to the words and realize I am very lucky to have what I have.
“We are able to do this with an amazing group of people. We have all these opportunities. It’s comforting.”
Show dates for “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” are Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $7 presale or $9 at the door. It is General Admission. Tickets can be purchased in advance by going online and visiting clarkstonhigh.csstix.com.
One scene in the production does contain mild language. The performers are not masked during the production. Masks are not required by audience members.
“It’s nice to know someone could come see the show and it will drastically change their perspective on certain things,” Delasko said.

  Clarkston High School Drama Club, Drama Club