A bow to heroes

Deirdre Newman

Heroes have taken on special significance in the wake of the Sept. 11

terrorist attacks.

Next week, Adams Elementary School fourth- and fifth-graders will

celebrate everyday heroes through a musical production.

The show, “Heroes,” is an original piece written and directed by

Kathleen Chapman. It brings home the message that anyone can be a hero

and that even kids can recognize heroic traits.

“I learned a lot about different heroes, that it can be anyone from a

soldier to your own family members,” said fourth-grader Aaron Ludlow, 10.

Sixty-three students from the Costa Mesa school have been rehearsing

for more than an hour each week for the past 14 weeks to prepare for the

show.

Chapman writes an original musical for the students every year. This

year, a group of teachers asked her to rewrite a previous show about

heroes to include references to the terrorist attacks.

“I added new songs and dialogue about Sept. 11 because I wanted the

kids to know the people involved were not famous,” Chapman said. “They

were just regular heroes.”

Most of the show revolves around the mock trial of a “normal” kid to

determine whether he can recognize heroic characteristics in various

people in his life.

At the end of the show, the performers will invite heroes from the

community, such as firefighters and doctors, onstage. The police officer

and firefighter of the year from Costa Mesa will also be honored. And

students from TeWinkle Middle School, who recently completed two quilts

to honor the firefighters who died in the World Trade Center, will

present them to the Costa Mesa firefighters.

In addition to learning about the heroes among us, Chapman said the

experience of performing promotes a feeling of camaraderie among the

students.

“It creates such a bond with the kids that normally wouldn’t even know

each other,” Chapman said. “They become friends and see past the skin,

past the ages and past the grades.”

Many of the students said they also enjoyed the thrill of performing.

“After the play, you feel really good about yourself,” said

fifth-grader Tiffani Randolph, 10.

* Deirdre Newman covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at o7 deirdre.newman@latimes.comf7 .

FYI

“Heroes” will be performed at 7 p.m. May 16 and May 17 at the Barbara

Van Holt Theater at Estancia High School. Adult tickets are $4. Children

12 and younger are $2.