Bugz invade Keppel school

Federal grant money first awarded to Mark Keppel Elementary School in 2010 came to life Friday in the form of “Bugz,” a musical theater performance staged by kindergarten and first-grade students.

The show saw the budding actors sporting insect costumes and acting out scenes from international folk tales about bugs.

Keppel has maintained a strong tradition in the visual performing arts. It was bolstered two years ago when it received a share of a three-year, $7.5-million federal grant awarded to Glendale Unified, and was designated a visual and performing arts magnet.

The kindergarten and first-grade classes spent several weeks preparing for the performance, which featured a garden’s-worth of insects including lady bugs, ants, fireflies, bumblebees and a stink bug.

The show was directed by choral director and teacher specialist Jennifer Epstein.

-- Megan O’Neil, Times Community News

Twitter: @meganknoneil