Elementary ‘Outsiders’

Andrew Edwards

Tensions rose between cheerleaders and the street toughs at Eader

Elementary School. The rival social groups faced off, and it was not

long until the insults began to fly.

“Who pays attention to a bunch of silly girls in bobby socks?”

asked 10-year-old Cole Fraser, wearing a black leather jacket and a

scowl.

The four perky cheerleaders were lined up against four students

leather jackets and spiked wristbands, and through it all, teacher

Susie Taylor stood by and watched.

Then, the inevitable happened -- the children broke out into song.

On a stage made up to look like a 1950s diner, right down to menus

bearing pictures of the Ford Edsel, Cole and other students in

Taylor’s fifth-grade class were in the middle of a rehearsal for

their upcoming performance of “Pompadours and Poodle Skirts.”

The short musical tells the story of the conflict between the

toughs, called “duck-tails,” and the cheerleading bobby-soxers.

Thrown into the mix is high school football, rock ‘n’ roll, a

kidnapping, jukeboxes and two nerds who find romance.

Cole plays “Wheels,” a greaser involved in a plot to kidnap the

rival high school’s star football player. As Wheels, Cole has to fill

the role of an angry character almost twice his real age.

“I have to have kind of a different voice and I have to act like a

different person,” Cole said.

One of the cheerleaders, “Deborah,” is performed by 10-year-old

Jesika Hobbs. Jesika described her character as “snotty,” and said

when she performs, she makes Deborah’s attitude show when she talks

to other characters.

“You have to answer really meanly back,” Jesika said.

Part of the play is in the costumes, with children outfitted in

1950s leather jackets, argyle sweaters and poodle skirts.

Brianna Larinto, 11, said she wishes that poodle skirts would come

back into fashion.

“I like [wearing a costume] very much,” Brianna said. “It’s

enjoyable, it’s comfortable.”

The class has been rehearsing since before Christmas break, and

the fifth-graders have learned that rock ‘n’ roll can be hard work.

“We have to do the same dance 50 times, over, a lot of times

over,” said 10-year-old Nathan Nguyen, who plays rock star Curtis

Jackson in the show.

For two of the young actors, the work goes beyond learning their

lines and dance steps. Tyler Kipp, 10, and Ashton Atkinson, 10, play

the two nerdy characters “Wilbur” and “Bertha.” The two share a scene

where they have to perform a fake kiss.

Tyler said the scene was “scary,” but Ashton had a different take.

“It’s fun,” she said, laughing.

The class is scheduled to perform “Pompadours and Poodle Skirts”

at 6:30 p.m. on April 1 and 2 at Eader Auditorium. Admission is free.