BY JAIME COLOSIMO
Staff Writer

Some people say that high school is where people learn the most.

This year’s fall play will show audiences that the most important life lessons are learned at a far earlier age. All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten is a play based on books by Robert Fulghum.

The play will be performed on Nov. 23 and 24.

All I Really Need to Know is both a comedy and a drama. Director Michelle Jenkins describes it as “a night of story tellings.” Characters of all ages share stories of memorable moments that taught them something.

Jenkins hopes the audience will react with both laughter and tears.

“I really think it will hit home with all ages,” Jenkins said.

If the play is done well, the audiences will be moved, she said. Jenkins wants people to walk away from the play thinking about their lives.  

This will be senior Katie Sabo’s second year participating in the fall play. She will be in four of the 18 scenes.

“Each scene gets a new set of actors,” Sabo said.  

Her favorite thing about this year’s play is “the opportunity to play a different character in each scene.”

Something different this year is that there is the opportunity for the actors to sing during the play.

The first scene of the play is already scheduled to include a song called “The Kindergarten Song.” It is the only scene that directly deals with kindergarten.

As for additional songs, Jenkins wants to include only numbers that will add to the play’s overall message.

“I’m only going to choose the ones that I feel emotionally enhance the play,” Jenkins said.

A piano underscore played by the narrator will also accompany the scenes.

Although some of the actors in the play are hesitant about the musical elements, Sabo is among those looks forward to it.

“People have shown interest in it, I think. I know I am excited for it,” Sabo said.

Jenkins has directed the fall play for the past three years. A major change she has made this year is broadening the cast to include about 30 people.

 “One of the big changes is this play enables me to reach out to the elementary schools,” Jenkins said.

This year, Jenkins wants elementary school students from the school district to contribute artwork to use for the play. She plans on having the art displayed in the lobby on the nights of the play.

During auditions, Jenkins was looking for honesty in the way the actors presented their monologues. She said that is a difficult thing to do because people tend to speak in an “actor voice.”

As a former student of Baldwin High School, Jenkins has gone from performing in plays to directing them.

“Everything I learned, I learned through my director, Mr. (Kris) Tranter. It’s fulfilling to work with the people I learned from,” Jenkins said.