Author: communications

Anthony Godfrey:
What year did you have Mrs. Crane as your 4th grade teacher?

Tina Price:
1989 to 90.

Anthony Godfrey:
If anyone questions that teachers have a lasting impact, this is the answer.

Tina Price:
Yes, they do.

Anthony Godfrey:
The decision to be so intentional about making your classroom a happy place is paying off for another set of students, for all of these other teachers who came for your class.

[Music]

Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a story many years in the making, one that led a caring teacher to be reunited with the students she had once taught and inspired.

On this episode of the Supercast, we head to Rosamond Elementary. That's where you will find 4th grade teacher Janet Crane, now working side by side at school with one of her former students. It's a story that proves the love and encouragement of a kind teacher can lead students on the path to great success in life and in future careers.

[Music]

We're here with two teachers at Rosamond Elementary School and I'm going to let them tell you why we're here. Introduce yourself, who you are now, and who you were then.

Janet Crane:
My name is Janet Crane and I've been teaching at Rosamond Elementary for quite a few years with a stint at Riverton Elementary and Elk Meadows, but I came back to Rosamond. I have taught 4th grade for a long time and Mrs. Price was one of my favorite 4th graders many years ago. It was funny to come back to Rosamond and have her being a 1st grade teacher and her telling me that I made a big impact on her life.

Tina Price:
I'm Tina Price. Back then I was Tina Green and I've been at Rosamond for a long time too now. I started kindergarten at Rosamond. I think the first year opened and then in 4th grade, I had Mrs. Crane as my 4th grade teacher.

Anthony Godfrey:
What year did you have Mrs. Crane as your 4th grade teacher?

Tina Price:
1989 to 1990.

Anthony Godfrey:
Back in the 1900s.

Tina Price:
Back clear in the 1900s.

Janet Crane:
Woah!

Tina Price:
Oregon Trail and all of that.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow, yeah Oregon Trail. That was awesome.

Janet Crane:
Oh, that was fun.

Tine Price:
Apple computers.

Anthony Godfrey:
So 1989, 1990 is when you had her class.

Tina Price:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
If anyone questions that teachers have a lasting impact, this is the answer. Yes, they do.

Tina Price:
Yes, they do.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about being in her class in 1989.

Tina Price:
I just felt loved and seen. She was happy to be there every day. I knew she was happy to be there every day because she just put that vibe out there. So when I think back about school and a happy place, it's 4th grade.

Anthony Godfrey:
Do you remember some of the activities that you did besides the Oregon Trail?

Tina Price:
Yes. We did a whole class reading of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and we read the whole book. She would hide golden tickets in our chapter books. So when we would get a chapter book we'd never know if we'd open it up and find a golden ticket. At the end of the book she did a drawing and that was the first time I've ever, or the last time I've ever won anything and I won the giant-size chocolate bar.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Tina Price:
And so I've kind of stolen that idea and I took it to first grade with me for a little bit.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you spent those late nights cutting out those golden tickets. Well done. That made a big difference.

Janet Crane:
It did obviously.

Anthony Godfrey:
What do you remember about having her in your 4th grade class?

Janet Crane:
She was kind of quiet, but she was always so happy, smiley, happy. Kids really liked her. She was quiet and I tried to go to those kids that are a little bit quiet and try to draw them out a little bit. One of my important things is I've always tried to make my classroom a happy place so that the kids know that I love my job. I love being here. I love you. This is what I want to do for my career and I've just always tried to convey that with the kids. Besides Tina, I've had some other people that are working in the district right now who have told me that the reason that they're teachers is because I had a big influence on their lives and that's what they wanted to do.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, thank you for all the great recruits.

Tina Price:
Yes.

Janet Crane:
They are some great teachers, I'll tell you.

Anthony Godfrey:
They should put that on their resume that they had you for 4th grade.

Tina Price:
Right at the top of the list.

Anthony Godfrey:
Have you taught 4th grade the whole time? 

Janet Crane:
No, I've taught second grade. I started teaching second grade at Riverton Elementary and taught second, a third-4th split. And then when this school opened, when Rosamond opened, I started teaching 4th grade.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you can do it all basically. When you started talking about her, it felt a little bit like a parent-teacher conference where you still remember very well just what she was like in class. Does that sound right to you?

Tina Price:
Yes. I still have my parent-teacher conference folder from 4th grade. Just my work and, yeah. I don't have it from any others, just my 4th grade.

Anthony Godfrey:
So 4th grade was, you can't overstate what an impact she had on you in 4th grade.

Tina Price:
No, I cannot.

[music]

Stay with us. When we come back more with these two teachers with a unique bond at Rosamond Elementary.

[music]

Never miss an episode of The Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

[music]

Break:
In Jordan School District, we like to support students in and outside the classroom along with their families. That's where the Jordan Family Education Center comes in, offering support services and a wide variety of classes for students and their families, free of charge. You can take a class called Blues Busters for children feeling sad or worried. Just Breathe is a class that helps students reduce stress. Or how about a class that supports parents in helping their children make and keep good friends. There are also support groups and free counseling, all provided by Jordan School District school psychologists, counselors, and school psychology interns. To find out how you can benefit from free family support services offered by the Jordan Family Education Center, call 801-565-7442 or visit guidance.jordandistrict.org.

[music]

Anthony Godfrey:
You already spoke once about the golden ticket idea that you are now using from when you were a 4th grader. You'll hear speakers sometimes who talk about teacher professional development, and they say your initial professional development is the 13 years that you spend in public school because you've seen people teach. You've been watching people teach all day for most of the year, every year, the entire time that you're growing up. So you pick up some ideas and some ways of doing things. Can you remember some other ideas that you are still using and things that impact you from that 4th grade class?

Tina Price:
We sang a lot of songs, the Desperado. I remember that still. During our free time she would let us trade things in our pencil boxes. And I don't know if that matched anything in the curriculum or not, but I just remember she built a community in our classroom, and we just all felt like we were supposed to be there with her. And just always happy. If she was having a bad day, we would never know, because she just was happy that we were there. She was our person that we could just, “oh, she wants me here.” And so I've tried to remember that with my own students, that I'm here to make them happy. It doesn't matter what happened to me before school. I'm here to be happy for them.

Anthony Godfrey:
The decision to be so intentional about making your classroom a happy place is paying off for another set of students, for all of these other teachers who came through your class every year. So obviously for many, many years you've understood the power that you have as a teacher to really set the climate, set the tone for that classroom. 

Janet Crane:
For some kids this is probably some of the only places that they get warm fuzzies. And a smile. The kids have just really changed over the years. And some years the kids are really needy, and some years they're not as needy. But I've just always wanted them to feel like they can come to me and know that they're going to find a warm, happy face.

Anthony Godfrey:
Could you tell what an impact you were having on her at the time?

Janet Crane:
I couldn't.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, that's the answer I was guessing you were going to say, because you don't always get to experience that in the moment. She's quiet, you're trying to draw her out, you're giving your best for every student. But they don't stand in front of you one day and say, "You know what, I think I'll be a teacher one day, and these are the things that I'll take away from your class."

Janet Crane:
I don't think I even learned that until I came back here. I didn't know that I'd had such an impact on her. Until I came back to Rosamond.

Tina Price:
For subbing. It was amazing.

Anthony Godfrey:
She was subbing? Tell me about that. 

Tina Price:
So I think it was my first or second year, and it was just everything kind of put into place to get hired at Rosamond. When I graduated from college, there was a hiring freeze in the district, and so I wasn't getting any phone calls. And then in July, I got a phone call to interview at Rosamond, and I was like, "Oh, that would be neat. It's my school." So I came and I interviewed, and I got the job. Janet wasn't here at the time, but I was in the faculty room one day at lunch, and she walked through, and I just got tears in my eyes and just was speechless for a minute. I jumped up and she probably had no idea who I was as an adult. I said, "You are why I'm here. This is amazing. I get to see you." I was so excited, and I told her who I was, and that she had been my 4th-grade teacher, and all of my papers, my passwords, which I’ll change now. But why do you want to be a teacher, and who was your favorite teacher? And it was about Mrs. Crane, because she was both of my answers. Then she came to work at the school, and I got to work with my idol every day since then. It's amazing.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's fantastic.

Tina Price:
Yeah.

Janet Crane:
It's a great job.

Anthony Godfrey:
What do you think is the secret to creating a happy classroom?

Janet Crane:
Letting the outside world, whatever's happened to you or whatever, flat tire, weird things happen on the way to school, just going into my room and just being warm and happy and making them feel like I know that they're there. I try to make at a point to connect with every one of my students during the day. Whether it's a question or just a tap on the shoulder to say, "Hi, I'm glad you're here today," I let them know that I am truly glad that they're here. This is a great job, and I'm truly lucky that I found what I feel is my calling.

Anthony Godfrey:
That you set the world aside, your own stresses aside, to create a happy classroom. And I think what that does is it allows the students to do the same thing.

Janet Crane:
I think so too.

Tina Price:
I've made it a point that she's had my daughters, and next year she'll have my son. So she was my daughter's 4th-grade teacher, and she had my daughter, my oldest daughter, Aspen during COVID. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, you've got a picture here. Let's take a look. Wow.

Tina Price:
So this was 2019, and then when we went into lockdown, Mrs. Crane was a presence in our home every day on Zoom, and we all got to crowd around the computer. Aspen felt cheated but loved the entire time because she didn't get – she had to leave Mrs. Crane in March and didn't get all the end-of-year experiences, but Mrs. Crane made sure that they found ways to still celebrate 4th grade, and she showed up every day on Zoom.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, that picture with Mrs. Crane, she's smiling. That's a wide, happy smile, and that is not just for the camera. That's because she's by you.

Tina Price:
And then my younger daughter had her in 4th grade as well.

Anthony Godfrey:
What's your younger daughter's name?

Tina Price:
Addie.

Anthony Godfrey:
So there's Addie with Mrs. Crane.

Tina Price:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
That’s awesome.

Tina Price:
It was a great year for her too, and Addie is a quiet girl in class, but she -- and I asked the girls, I said, "What is your favorite thing about Mrs. Crane?" And they said the same thing. She loved us. She was happy to be there. 

Anthony Godfrey:
It makes such a big difference. Wow. I love that. Let’s see these.

Tina Price:
And then these are back in 1989.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. How about that.

Tina Price:
And again, the only pictures I have of me in school --

Anthony Godfrey:
Let me just say, in 1989, the fact that you have a picture of you with your teacher that's candid, taken by a camera, meant that you were really intentional, like, "I need a picture with Mrs. Crane." Wow. Look at that. That is so cool. Oh, and the blackboard. Look at the blackboard and chalk.

Janet Crane:
Yeah, and they just barely took that orange carpet down.

Tina Price:
We just -- in the kindergarten room I had a tiny little piece left that I might have kept, a little scrap of --

Anthony Godfrey:
Hey, the orange wall carpet, it's important that you have that.

Janet Crane:
Yeah, the chalkboard is like that's so long gone.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, that is a fantastic picture. I absolutely love that. And I love that you have it. And also that you still have all your 4th-grade work and parent-teacher conference information.

Tina Price:
All the Utah counties.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. Yeah, wow. Well, thank you for being such an impactful and positive educator for so long. And thank you for choosing to follow in that same path and to be that same positive light for the students in your class.

Tina Price:
Thank you. It's amazing. And it's just fate that I got to work with the person who inspired me to be here and still does every day.

Janet Crane:
One of the nice things is I have my friends that say, so when are you going to really stop teaching? And I'm like, I don't know. I really feel like still there's somebody out there I still need to reach. If it's just one child or a classroom of children, if there's one child whose life I need to touch. And you can always tell if you have. That's why I'm here. And I know when -- in the next couple of years, maybe.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, you just let me know what I can do to put that date farther into the distance.

Janet Crane:
So this is the place I need to be. And I need to be there for somebody. I need to be somebody's 4th-grade teacher and have them have a good year.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you both for everything you do and for taking time today.

Tina Price:
Thank you very much.

Janet Crane:
Thank you for talking to us.

[music]

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you'll do today. We'll see you out there.

[music]

Jordan Clarkson:
I've been in their situation, I've been in their shoes, I'm able to turn around and give back.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Well, we're very blessed to be able to give back to the community, and this community in particular because he's an active member of the Utah Jazz. Jordan has always been very generous with his time, with his resources, and his heart.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. He is a Utah Jazz star known for his scoring ability and dynamic style of play. He's also known for his kindness and generosity in the community.

On this episode of the Supercast, we talk with Jordan Clarkson to hear first-hand why giving back is so important, especially this holiday season. Listen as we catch up with Clarkson and his family at Heartland Elementary School, where he was providing 250 Thanksgiving meals to West Jordan families in need. Families who are grateful for the gift and the chance to meet a Jazz superstar.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
I just want to say on behalf of the Clarkson family, Jordan, and the JC Cares Foundation, thank you for volunteering to help us. Our family is committed to always giving back. We've done it before Jordan made it to the league. It will never stop. Hopefully, we'll be ingrained in our sons and they'll continue to do it as we pass on. But again, I'd like to thank you all. It means a lot. You may not think it means a lot, but it means a lot to those that need help. And that's what we're all here to do. I really appreciate you guys and the time that you guys commit to do that because time is the most valuable asset that we have being human beings.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking with Coach Mike Clarkson, who is associated with JC Cares and is here to help organize this effort. Your son Jordan is on his way. Tell me about this event here today.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Well, we're very blessed to be able to give back to the community and this community in particular because he's an active member of the Utah Jazz. Jordan has always been very generous with his time, with his resources, and his heart. We really appreciate the opportunity to work with this school district and to be able to touch families that might not be touched and have a nice holiday. It's very important at Thanksgiving that we do give thanks. But it's more important also that we reach out to those in need and those that can really benefit from our generosity.

Anthony Godfrey:
You just gave a stirring pep talk for the volunteers here and letting them know the importance of what they're doing for the community here. What does it mean to you to see this level of support?

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Well, having grown up impoverished, in Washington, DC as a young man, I didn't get the support that I see my son willing to go out and provide an opportunity to provide for others. It's heartwarming to me because I know anyone can turn their back on you. Very few people are willing to help you. And in life when you're able to find someone or some organization or entity that will help and assist you, that goes a long way in your life in inspiring you and to give you some sense of hope and belief that good is out there in the world.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, the foundation was here last year.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Yes, sir.

Anthony Godfrey:
All of you were here doing the same thing and it's built a lot of momentum, very successful, and we're excited to see what happens this year as well.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Yes, sir.

Anthony Godfrey:
What impact do you hope this has on the families who come today and get to meet you and your family and receive this meal?

Coach Mike Clarkson:
The biggest thing is to understand that people care. That's what it's called, JC Cares. It's always this time of year when people struggle, families struggle, and they feel a sense of hopelessness. And we hope that the little that we do for them can inspire them to go out and not only better themselves, but to at one point in time turn around and give back to society. Because everything is about hope and if you're not inspired to achieve, what do you have?

Anthony Godfrey:
I think that's exactly the word for it. It inspires people and says, "Hey, wait a minute. There are people who care. There are people here supporting me. So maybe I can do some things I didn't think I could do on my own."

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Yes, sir. And I think I get so much joy out of looking at someone's face when they know somebody cares about them. That's something that Jordan has been able to understand. We've preached that for many years, but to see your child grow up and to have the opportunity he has, and to now regurgitate and to go out and exercise and practice what you taught them, it's nothing more rewarding than that, sir.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's wonderful. That's beautiful because it's not automatic.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Correct.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's not automatic that you're successful and now you do this sort of thing. And to see Jordan, like you said, living out the things you taught him as a child, that's got to be a thrill.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Yes, yes. That warms my heart more than anything because I always say, "It's not about what you have, but as God says, are you a good steward with what you have?" And Jordan has learned about the value and the importance of being a good steward.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, we're so grateful to have him here today, and to have you and our community helping support this. So thank you very much.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Thank you for the opportunity.

Anthony Godfrey:
And happy Thanksgiving to you.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Same to you and all the families out there, sir.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you. Take care.

Stay with us. When we come back, we'll talk with Jordan Clarkson about why he gives back and what his plans are for Thanksgiving.

Never miss an episode of the Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

Break:
Are you looking for a job right now? Looking to work in a fun and supportive environment with great pay and a rewarding career? Jordan School District is hiring. We're currently filling full and part-time positions. You can work and make a difference in young lives and education as a classroom assistant or a substitute teacher. Apply to work in one of our school cafeterias where our lunch staff serves up big smiles with great food every day. We're also looking to hire custodians and bus drivers. In Jordan School District we like to say people come for the job and enjoy the adventure. Apply today at employment.jordandistrict.org

Anthony Godfrey:
We're here with Jordan Clarkson for the JC Cares event. Tell me a little bit about why this is so important to you.

Jordan Clarkson:
Just for us to give back for all the kids. I've been in their situation. I've been in their shoes. For our family, I'm blessed to be in this position now that I'm able to turn around and give back some. I'm here. I was in their place. We're here now.

Anthony Godfrey:
I was able to talk with your parents and it sounds like they had a real emphasis on making sure that as a family, you always give back. Tell me about the impact your parents have had on you in putting this together.

Jordan Clarkson:
They run my whole foundation. I think they feel in a sense that we are blessed. I'm one of one. We all sat there as kids and family and fought together through tough times and whatever it was. This is one of those situations that we've all been through and we're just here to give a helping hand. Some people when we were growing up didn't reach out and have that impact on us.

Anthony Godfrey:
How do you hope people feel coming out of this as they come, get to meet you and your family and people in the community, and come away with a meal? What impact do you hope that has on them?

Jordan Clarkson:
Just smiles. That's it. Just great joy. That's all we ask for. Keep continuing to have good vibes. That's all we're trying to spread and that's the joy we want.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you very much. Thanks for doing it here at Heartland and for helping support so many people and supporting the community at large. Tell me, do you at least get Thanksgiving off? Did Coach give you the day off?

Jordan Clarkson:
I don't know. Maybe me, but just because.

Anthony Godfrey:
With the injury?

Jordan Clarkson:
Yeah, yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
You'd rather be on the court.

Jordan Clarkson:
Yeah, exactly. I'm the biggest cook, so I'm going to be working no matter what.

Anthony Godfrey:
You're the biggest cook?

Jordan Clarkson:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
What's your specialty dish?

Jordan Clarkson:
My specialty is I really cook steak and brisket. I'm good at doing it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Steak? Wow.

Jordan Clarkson:
And brisket and I fry turkey, man. I go in there, I sit outside. My thing in the garage.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you got the three meats going?

Jordan Clarkson:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
All from you, huh?

Jordan Clarkson:
All from me, yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, that's awesome. Well, congratulations on your career. Thank you so much for making us a part of your day today.

We're here today talking with two of the people associated with the JC Cares Foundation. Introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about what's happening today.

Ken:
Hey, my name is Ken. I help manage Jordan and his day-to-day and some of the give back initiatives that we do with Team Clarkson and his JC Cares Foundation.

Janie Clarkson:
Janie Clarkson, basically what I do is help him out with all his philanthropic, you know, making sure that, you know, we get back to the community and to be here to support in everything that he does.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about Jordan growing up. Did you know that he was going to be someone who would be associated with helping others out and making sure that they had the support they needed?

Janie Clarkson:
Yes, because we've always made sure that, you know, he gives back, not just him and himself, but the family to being part of that as well. It's big in our family to make sure that we look out for other people and for them to do well and to be also successful in life.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's wonderful to have you all here today and to have the support for the community. Tell us about what's happening today. Families are coming in that are in need and receiving a meal for Thanksgiving.

Ken:
Yeah, we're excited about it. This is our third year doing it in Utah, our second year doing it here at this location. They're able to come in and get everything, not just the turkey, they're able to get the fixings to go along with it. A full meal, you know, from start to finish. I feel like that's really important because having a turkey just by itself, you know, doesn't feel like Thanksgiving, but having all the sides, like that's what makes it.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's the full meal, but it's also a chance to connect with Jordan, with you, with the family and feel a part of the community. And last but not least, Santa's on the way out the door. You get to stop by and see Santa.

Ken:
You get to stop by and see Santa. I think, you know, it's a small part of our day to give back and I feel like it makes a huge impact for the families that come in and get to receive. You know, who knows what they're going through. We all get to go back home. We have our families. Some people aren't as fortunate, you know, so it means a lot.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, we appreciate the chance to be part of it and to house this here today. I know that there are people benefiting from around the community. So thank you very much for doing that.

Janie Clarkson:
Thank you for supporting him.

Ken:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

(Music)

Regan Stowell:
We do the military, the different military songs, and the veterans actually stand up for that first time. And the kids actually make that connection of like, "Oh my gosh, I'm singing to him or her because they're the ones in the Air Force." I really think like that is one of the most powerful pieces.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a time-honored and proud tradition for students, teachers, staff, and parents at Blackridge Elementary School.

On this episode of the Supercast, find out why the Veterans Day program is so special at this school and how they updated it this year to honor the newest branch of the military. We start with a word from two teachers who are the driving force behind this production, making it a family and community favorite year after year.

We're here at Blackridge talking with the two teachers who have made this Veterans Day program possible. Introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about your position.

Regan Stowell:
I am Regan Stowell and I teach third grade here at Blackridge.

Joshua Roberts:
I'm Joshua Roberts. I'm the Beverly Taylor Sorensen Music Specialist at Blackridge Elementary.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're grateful for all of our music specialists, and our dance specialists, all of art specialists across the district, and the support that they provide to make these very important experiences available for students. For those who were not fortunate enough to come, please describe the program and the other things that you did to prepare the school for the program and what you did for the Veterans after. There were decorations, there were things after, gifts for Veterans after, so will you just describe it for those who weren't able to be here?

Joshua Roberts:
It's all hands on deck. So we have an arts committee with a representative from each grade level team. We tell them their songs or assignments. I assign them one song to work with their kids. I work on the other and by the time the program comes we're all teaching all the music. Second grade is a huge help. They are the ones that decorated the gym with all of the pictures of the Veterans and put up the flags. They were also the ones that collected the photos for the slideshow that I put together showing the Veterans at the beginning. Third grade—

Regan Stowell:
–Made thank you cards for the Veterans so that when they left, and Mrs. Barlow had made them their cookies, they also received a thank you card that was handwritten from third-grade students. What else?

Joshua Roberts:
Also, the kids that are in the little costumes for each grade.

Regan Stowell:
Oh yes, the third grade does the military parade. So they're the ones who come out in the uniforms, and the flags, and the signs when their different military branch is sung, like when the different songs are sung. Kindergarten comes out and does your ‘Grand Old Flag’ with first and second grade and with the flags, which we love.

Joshua Roberts:
And fourth, fifth, and sixth grade volunteer most of the speakers for the program because they're the ones that can do it. Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
You've been doing this for a very long time–

Regan Stowell:
I have.

Anthony Godfrey:
–as a teacher. Tell me about the time that you've spent putting all of this together over the years, where you've done it, how long you've done it because this program was really an amazing way to honor Veterans and teach students about their country and to instill a sense of patriotism.

Regan Stowell:
In 2005, I was teaching third grade at Herriman Elementary and we were a couple of years into the Iraqi War. We had a lot of parents in our community that had been called up by the Utah National Guard. And I just felt it was really important for the kids to understand the sacrifices that these people in our community were making. So I had started it out as just a third-grade program. It was just something that the third graders did for the school. And I did it that way up until 2018. I did it at Herriman and Jordan Hills, Falcon Ridge, Heartland, Hayden Peak, and then here at Blackridge.

In 2008, Mr. Butler asked me if we could kind of rearrange it so that every grade could be involved, that it wasn't just a third-grade program, that every grade could also participate in saying thank you to the Veterans, which I was so grateful because I think it makes the whole program much more powerful that every student gets an opportunity to say thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Absolutely. I don't blame him for wanting to multiply this by six. Yes. And make sure that every grade had a chance to participate. How has it evolved over the years? Tell me about the ways that it's changed since you started nearly 20 years ago.

Regan Stowell:
A very long time ago. I think we have tried to change songs over the years. This year we added two new songs. The ‘50 Nifty’ song was one that we haven't done before here at Blackridge and then incorporating the Utah song also so that it kind of moves from like the flow of the program is starting out by talking about the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ and saying the Pledge of Allegiance, moving into the different military branches and honoring them, and then also bringing in how special our country is because of the sacrifice that these men and women make as they go out and serve in the military.

Anthony Godfrey:
I did notice that there was a Space Force song sung today, and I was not previously aware that there was a Space Force song. Tell me a little bit about that.

Joshua Roberts:
My dear friend Mrs. Shelton at Mountain Point Elementary was in the military, and last year she harassed me for not having Space Force included, and they are a branch of the military. They've been around for...

Regan Stowell:
2018.

Joshua Roberts:
So 5, 6 years. So we're going to start seeing veterans come out of that at some point. So she arranged it so that our school is the only school that has that recording to use for Space Force because she was an army singer for the better part of the decade. She had the connections to hook us up with getting that recording.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. So that is a bootleg recording of the Space Force.

Joshua Roberts:
Not bootleg. It's an official one that they gave us permission to use.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you actually, it's fully legit, but it's only here. You'll only hear it here.

Joshua Roberts:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. That is cool. That did stand out to me. I've gone to a lot of Veterans Day programs over the years, and this one is a standout already because of the clear passion that the kids have and that they've learned a lot from preparing for the performance. Not just that they're performing, but you can tell that it's impacted them. But I really did pick up on that Space Force song, having attended a lot of programs. I think that's a really cool touch this year.

Joshua Roberts:
Yeah. And it's something that going forward is going to need to be included in certain Veterans programs because they will be there.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back more at Blackridge Elementary School.

Never miss an episode of the Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

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Anthony Godfrey:
One of the things I really appreciated about the program is the context that was given to each song. What the song means, where the song came from, how the song was written, or how it came to be discovered in the case of ‘God Bless America’. Tell me about including that as part of the program.

Joshua Roberts:
So with the BTS grant specifically, I include US songs in third grade and in fifth grade as part of the integrations that we do. They learn the national anthem, we learn the history about it. ‘This Land is Your Land’ was one that we hit hard in fifth grade. And putting those songs in context is a huge anchor. Like if you just sing songs without context, what's the point of doing what we're doing?

Regan Stowell:
But I think your teaching them makes all the difference because even with the speaking parts, it doesn't mean anything if you haven't taught them what those songs truly mean and where they came from.

Joshua Stowell:
Right.

Regan Stowell:
That's the piece that makes this whole program so much more impactful for the students. Because while you're doing the context in class when we also share that piece in the program, it makes that connection.

Joshua Roberts:
And we've been doing this one here for five years.

Regan Stowell:
Well, before I came to Blackridge–

Joshua Roberts:
We had another one.

Regan Stowell:
–you already had a really strong Veterans Day program.

Joshua Roberts:
But we sat down together and looked at Regan's original. I wanted to make sure that what we were doing was very much centered on the Veterans. We're not singing about America in general. We are thanking the members of our community for their service. And I think when I talk about the songs with students in my classroom, that that is the focus. And when we do our rehearsals, one of the things I got up there and blasted at them was this program this day is not about you. And you need to put your ego aside because we are thanking members of our community. And I think that even with the histories behind the songs, that that's the more important thing is we are thanking and showing our appreciation to veterans that live in Harriman.

Anthony Godfrey:
That came through very clearly in the performance and in the way that Mr. Butler had students stand and give a standing ovation and thank the veterans just by looking at them and helping them feel that standing ovation. But that was true in every aspect of the performance. Nothing was rote. Nothing was simply standing up and doing what you were supposed to do. It was all an expression of what they clearly understood and felt.

Joshua Roberts:
Yeah. And for us to like we're the ones that had the theme, but it really is a full staff, full student body effort. Everybody–

Regan Stowell:
Everyone.

Joshua Roberts:
Nighttime sweepers all the way up. Everyone. Like teachers help rehearse weekly. I'm doing as much as I can in my class time. It took an army to get the setup last Thursday because we didn't have school on Friday. Like everybody involved made it happen so we could just get up there and look pretty and wave our arms.

Anthony Godfrey:
All hands on deck as it were. Yes. So tell me, it's fun to see the two of you interact as you talk about this because clearly when you say it takes everyone it does but this team right here the two of you collaborating has really taken it to another level it feels like.

Regan Stowell:
Absolutely.

Joshua Roberts:
Yeah.

Regan Stowell:
Absolutely. Mr. Josh, Mr. Roberts, he's so easy to work with but he also keeps me focused because I can be a little bit like “Let's do this, let's do this, let's add this”, and to just really keep it focused on the veterans. Keep it simple so that what we're doing is really honoring them for their service and their bravery. I think too, like helping the kids really understand that one of my favorite parts actually of the program is something I never get to see, but it's the piece that I think really connects with them. So maybe Claire and Emily will be able to say if I'm right or wrong, but when we do the different military songs and the veterans actually stand up for that first time and the kids actually make that connection of like “Oh my gosh, I'm singing to him or her because they're the ones in the Air Force. That's what I've prepared for”, I really think like that is one of the most powerful pieces. And the reason why originally so long ago I wanted to do this is because I wanted the students and the kids to understand that piece.

Anthony Godfrey:
The personal connection is really clear.

Joshua Roberts:
I mean last year we had one of the last World War II veterans in the area whose grandkids go to the school. He was able to make it and he died about a month or two after our Veterans Day assembly. It was a huge deal to have somebody still living that was able to serve in World War II.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow, what a memorable moment to have him there.

Joshua Roberts:
He got a full standing ovation by himself from everybody in the room. It was that impactful.

Regan Stowell:
It was amazing.

Anthony Godfrey:
Over the years there are a lot of memories of specific veterans that have had an impact.

Regan Stowell:
Yeah, last year we also had someone who came in his full Marine uniform and he played the trumpet.

Joshua Roberts:
He played ‘Taps.’

Regan Stowell:
Yeah, but he played the trumpet in the Marine band I think that’s what it was. So he played ‘Taps’ for the for the kids so they could hear what that would sound like, and it was amazing.

Anthony Godfrey:
Let's talk with a couple of students who've been able to be part of this over the years. Tell me your name and your grade.

Claire Knotwell:
I'm Claire Knotwell and I am in sixth grade.

Emily Esselman:
I am Emily Esselman and now I'm in fifth grade.

Anthony Godfrey:
You've each been able to play different roles in each grade. Tell me do you have a favorite year, a favorite song that you learned along the way?

Claire Knotwell:
Mine was the Navy because my papa was in the Navy and he retired. He was in the Navy for 36 years I think.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow was he able to be here and see you perform that?

Claire Knotwell:
No, he lives in Missouri so he can’t come.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, that would have been difficult. How about for you Emily?

Emily Esselman:
My favorite part is probably the medley. The Military Medley.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, that's impactful. Tell me how has this changed you? What have you learned from this experience?

Claire Knotwell:
Probably that like you don't really realize a lot of how much someone really does for just a country and kind of like the sacrifices they give to help us out. I think that I've learned a lot more about that since I've been here.

Emily Esselman:
I've learned a lot about how many people are able to come and serve this country and fight for our freedom.

Anthony Godfrey:
Do you have a family member that's a veteran? I know that Claire's grandfather was in the Navy. How about for you?

Emily Esselman:
My dad served in the Air Force for about seven years. He was a loadmaster and he went on a few combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. Was he able to be here to see you perform?

Emily Esselman:
He was here in the morning program.

Anthony Godfrey:
How does it make him feel do you think to see you perform these patriotic songs? Especially his song?

Emily Esselman:
I think it has him remember that he did this and he served for our country and he fought for our freedom. And knowing that he helped make this country what it is today.

Anthony Godfrey:
Absolutely. Thank you very much for taking the time not only to perform this, I look forward to it every year. I canceled meetings to be here today because this is much better than any meeting

Students:
Thank you very much.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you for taking the time for the interview today and happy Veterans Day.

Joshua Roberts:
Thanks for coming up to Blackridge.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see out there.

Erin McGuire:
It's unusual for a high school to be able to do a show that is still on Broadway. It is really unusual to get two in the same year.

Anthony Godfrey:
You said that this particular production is stretching you and you're doing things that you had done before.

Erin McGuire:
We have 80 students who are involved in this. There are no scenes that are just dialogue.

Anthony Godfrey:
Have you done shows with a trap door like that before?

Clin Eaton:
No, never.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a Broadway hit winning eight Tony Awards and garnering rave reviews. Now the critically acclaimed musical Hadestown is about to be performed at Riverton High School.

On this episode of the Supercast, find out how Riverton High was awarded the rights to Hadestown and is among the first high schools in the country to perform the play, which is still running on Broadway. It is a student performance worthy of a standing ovation, thanks in part to the two people you're about to meet, musical directors Erin McGuire and Clin Eaton.

For those who are listening who aren’t familiar with the story, tell us what Hadestown is about.

Erin McGuire:
It is the way the way the writer put it together is an intertwining of the two Greek mythology stories with Persephone and Hades and Orpheus and Eurydice. So Orpheus and Eurydice fall in love. She's actually killed by a snake that may or may not be Hades, has to go down to hell. And then Orpheus, her love, comes and finds her, tries to take her back, and she can walk behind him but not next to him on the way out of hell. If he turns around and looks at her, she goes back down and he can't get her again.

And then with Hades and Persephone, she is the daughter of the goddess of the harvest and she loves being outside and loves nature, but she also fell in love with Hades. So to make a deal to make them both happy, she spends six months with him and Hades and six months up on earth. So it's how those two stories in the author's mind twist them together as these two beginning of love and middle of love love stories. It's gorgeous.

Anthony Godfrey:
Talk about the setting for the story.

Erin McGuire:
We have two basic settings, above ground and below ground. So we have our performers at the beginning of the show, and it's kind of in a pub, a bar, New Orleans, it's kind of a place. And then when we deal with people who are living down in Hades, it goes below ground. And so as you can see on the set here, it doesn't really change a whole lot. We do a lot with lighting, and we have fantastic lighting students who are doing some great things with it. And we dress it that way, but it all just happens right here.

Anthony Godfrey:
I see a rock and roll set up there. Talk to people about how that comes into play.

Erin McGuire:
Yes. Okay, we had the option of either using tracks that are pre-recorded or a live band, and we were lucky enough to be able to get live bands. So we have people from all over, a former student of mine from way long ago, a couple of teachers here in the district.

Clin Eaton:
We have three Jordan School District faculty members.

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Clin Eaton:
We have Eric Noyes from South Hills Middle. He's on our keys. We have one of the teachers, Karen Smith–

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Clin Eaton:
Also at South Hills–

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Clin Eaton:
–who's our cellist, and she is–

Erin McGuire:
Fantastic.

Karen Smith:
–a professional, played with Utah Symphony. And then we have Chris Jesse, who's our percussionist here, a percussion teacher, who's on the drum back there.

Anthony Godfrey:
The live music is going to make a huge difference.

Clin Eaton:
It is. And we have this guitar player out of Utah County that is a studio guitarist. He doesn't do musical theater. So when we offered him the job, he was accustomed to studio work, and so he showed up the first day completely off-look and memorized. He just thought he would just be playing

Anthony Godfrey:
Because he's used to the studio work. So they come in, they nail it, and they walk out.

Clin Eaton:
Yeah, so Eric is on keys, and he's like, You can actually have your music. You're allowed to look at it, because we have to go off of the actors. We don't necessarily get to do what you want to do. So he, all of the musicians, we added him in on Tuesday, and they were so impressed with the students and how prepared they were.

Erin McGuire:
And it sounds so amazing with the live musicians. It's amazing. Oh my gosh.

Anthony Godfrey:
It makes a huge difference. One of the things that I've always impressed about Riverton is that here you --you just described it. You pull in, here's a university, here's a guitarist from Utah County, here's some teachers from throughout the district. You pull these resources together, choreographers with experience on Broadway last time we talked. Just all of these resources brought together to provide a great experience for students and for anyone fortunate enough to be in the audience. Oh, a trap door.

Clin Eaton:
Yes! We’d like to take you down on it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Only because I trust you, Clin. Only because I trust you.

Clin Eaton:
No, no, you’re totally good. It was just safety checked off by the head engineer at Hillsborough Theatre.

Erin McGuire:
Right?

Anthony Godfrey:
I feel super cool right now.

Clin Eaton:
And then help him unload and help him get out the steps.

Anthony Godfrey:
You just lowered me into hell on the trap door.

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
I've only been to Riverton for a few minutes, and I've already taken a trip to Hadestown.

Erin McGuire:
Well, we tried to give you the full experience when you're here.

Anthony Godfrey:
That was awesome. Tell me how exactly that works. That was very smooth.

Clin Eaton:
We actually found a YouTube video. It's like really old-fashioned, like back to the 1700s,--

Anthony Godfrey:
Really?

Clin Eaton:
--on how like they would use it to basically in magic acts. And basically you construct a big box with a series of locks and levers that unlock, and then it's a repelling rope that goes through a pulley system, and you, we have different settings based on how fast or slow we want it to lower. And the students down there just set the pins, they unlock it, actors safe to load, and then it just goes down by the rope. It's strong enough that students could dance on it and do everything they need to and be just fine, because the whole point is we don't want to know it's there.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. It felt very stable. Have you done shows with a trap door like that before?

Clin Eaton:
No, never.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hadestown is stretching what you’ve done in the past.

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Clin Eaton:
And we, since we're also doing Harry Potter later in February, we're building stuff that can be used for both pieces. So this will also be used for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. And in a moment, we have some stuff. We have the head of Weber State Technical Theater out here with six hours yesterday with tech students rigging up things on our catwalks so they can lower lights. And we'll show you that in a moment. But for Harry Potter, we're going to drop the Dementors down on that system.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, really?

Clin Eaton:
Yeah. So we have, so what we were building for Hadestown, we're thinking of like both shows in conjunction.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back a sneak peek at their incredible performance.

Never miss an episode of the Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

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Clin Eaton:
Paul, go ahead and lower those down and then Dylan, turn them on when they're ready. And if you want to turn off house lights, Dylan, you can. So they have pulleys. Go ahead and turn off house if you want so we can see what it'll look like going down over the audience.

Erin McGuire:
And they have that cool Edison light.

Clin Eaton:
Yeah, so there's five students each on a pulley lowering them down and there's certain moments in the show where they get lowered down and they have this effect. But the idea is we want it to be kind of magical in this show that the audience all of a sudden realizes there's something over them and Harry Potter we want it to be terrifying because Dementors will be on the end of these instead.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, my goodness.

Clin Eaton:
Good job! That was really, really nice, guys.

Anthony Godfrey:
That looks really good.

Clin Eaton:
Go ahead. Yeah, give them a round of applause. They worked on that all day yesterday. It's really cool.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's a big impact.

Clin Eaton:
Dylan, that's beautiful. I like that effect.

Anthony Godfrey:
You said that this particular production is stretching you and you're doing things that you had done before. Tell me some of the things that are required in a Hadestown performance that really are moving you beyond where the program's been.

Erin McGuire:
Well, we have had other productions that have had large casts, but we have 80 students who are involved in this. And I always--for our big musicals, we try to cast all the students that are auditioning for it because being in a musical is one of those awesome experiences that are just unique to the situation of being in high school. We've seen kids make new friends. We've seen the new friend groups grow, and that's just really special for them. But to try to fit 80 students in the space, that's a challenge. For our choreographer to try to find a way to fit them on stage and in the front and they're in the aisles and have those dance pieces all work together, that's a challenge.

For a show that I've seen once on Broadway, and I know it, but I didn't know know it until I started working on it, for me, it's a huge stretch for me to be able to do this piece of art justice. For the students who some have never seen it, they are not as familiar with it. They work a little bit with the music to teach them about them, what the story is and the gravity and what their contribution to it really means. That's been a challenge. For them to learn the music has been a challenge. It's a sung-through show. There are no scenes that are just dialogue. Everything is sung, sung through, like Les Mis. That's been a challenge.

Anthony Godfrey:
And they, unlike Les Mis, is there isn't this long precedent of this is what the performance looks like.

Erin McGuire:
Correct.

Anthony Godfrey:
So that's a bigger burden, a lot of more creativity, but also it's exciting to be able to put your own stamp on it.

Erin McGuire:
So exciting. Absolutely.

Clin Eaton:
You may have already said this, but there's not much downtime.

Erin McGuire:
No, there really isn't.

Clin Eaton:
They're on stage. The ensemble has so much to do in this show. Even Les Mis, yeah, ensemble is busy because they're changing characters. But this, they’re on.

Erin McGuire:
They're a huge part of telling the story.

Anthony Godfrey:
So the 80 that are involved are pretty much involved all the time.

Erin McGuire:
Yes. We have done a little bit of separation. So we have our above-ground workers and our below-ground workers, or what they're called in the script, they're called those workers. And so there are some moments when the entire cast is on stage several times throughout the whole show. But then there are some moments where we have 50 or 60 on and then those switch with the other. So it’s a back and forth, coordinating kind of a situation.

Anthony Godfrey:
It has a different feel to it. It's very engaging because it's so different.

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
How have the kids felt and developed through this production?

Erin McGuire:
They love it. Let's ask them, "Hey, students! Have you enjoyed being involved in this production of Hadestown?"

Students:
[Cheering]

Anthony Godfrey:
A survey says yes, they've enjoyed it.

Ethan Hall:
Oh, yeah.

Erin McGuire:
This is Ethan Hall, he’s our Hades.

Ethan Hall:
Hello.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hi. How are you?

Ethan Hall:
I'm great. How are you?

Anthony Godfrey:
Nice to see you.

Ethan Hall:
Good to see you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about your role.

Ethan Hall:
So I play the lead villain in the show. I get to be the king of the underworld. Like, he's an industrialist. And, you know, at his core he's not truly evil, but all of his actions are misplaced.

Anthony Godfrey:
You playing a bad guy, is this typecasting?

Ethan Hall:
I sure hope it's not.

Anthony Godfrey:
I like the way you describe that. What he's trying to do, his actions are misplaced. He's not at his core a bad guy.

Ethan Hall:
Yeah, yeah. In the end he is like, he's redeemed. He's like, a lot of it is like he's trying to make his wife happy by like just always making his empire bigger and bigger, which that's not what she wants. And it takes the course of the show for him to realize that.

Anthony Godfrey:
How has this role stretched you?

Ethan Hall:
It's been a lot. I don't play villains very often. And I just get to like, it's really interesting like, you know, having that chemistry between characters. It's also a very low role vocally. And I don't get to use that range a whole lot in different productions. So it's been really, really fun to be able to sing low and like have that different character work between people.

Anthony Godfrey:
What's your method for memorizing? When you're driving in the car, are you always singing these songs? Do you dream them? How do you keep everything stored inside your head, ready to go on a moment's notice?

Ethan Hall:
Yeah. With this show specifically, I've been obsessed with it for like a few years. So I basically had most of the characters lines memorized, but I do listen to it in the car whenever I can. A method I got taught is whenever I'm brushing my teeth at night, I just listen to any of the songs I'm having trouble with. Then I go to bed and it sticks better.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, yeah. Good idea. Good idea. For those listening, listen to your vocabulary words for the test the next day before you go to bed. So what would you say to people who are considering whether to come? Why should they come see Hadestown?

Ethan Hall:
I would have to say it's just a beautiful show. The music is incredible. Our technical elements are some of my favorite I've ever seen. And just the message of the show is really beautiful. There's multiple stories to follow throughout it. And so it's just a wonderful, in my opinion, it's a wonderful way to spend your evening is just to come see it. It's going to be an amazing time.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's an ambitious show to take on and I can't wait to see it. I'm seeing it on a closing night.

Ethan Hall:
Oh, lovely. We can’t wait see you here.

Anthony Godfrey:
So it will be really fun to be here.

Ethan Hall:
Awesome. I really hope you enjoy it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you very much. Congratulations.

Student performing:

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me your name.

Tyler:
I'm Tyler.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about the technical aspects of this show that are different from maybe other things you've worked on. I've already heard one of the actors raving about the stage tech aspect of this. And I experienced it myself, being lowered down into Hadestown. Tell me about the sound aspect of this production.

Tyler:
Well, unlike a lot of other shows, we have a live band. So, there's a lot more going into it. We have, instead of just clicking play on a computer to play all of our music, we have a bunch of different musicians. And then, because of that, we have to mix them to all sound right for the songs. And there's just a lot more things that can go wrong and can go right than just clicking a play button. So, it's a lot different in that aspect.

Anthony Godfrey:
Clicking a play button is stressful enough.

Tyler:
It is, yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Making sure that you play the right thing at the right time. But the live music controlling the sound of the drums and mixing that. I play in a very amateur band from time to time and balancing that sound makes all the difference.

Tyler:
It does.

Anthony Godfrey:
Whether the music can have that impact, especially when you're balancing it out with other things happening on the stage. Well, congratulations and I can't wait to see them. I’m coming closing night.

Tyler:
Oh, you'll love it. You'll enjoy it.

Clin Eaton:
He’s done his job well, if you don't notice anything. If you can hear everyone, they’ve done their job.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, that's really it. If you don't notice–

Clin Eaton:
He has a crew of three. There's three people that are running sound.

Anthony Godfrey:
Very cool. So, are you up there?

Tyler:
Yes, I'm up there on the mixer.

Anthony Godfrey:
The mixer. Awesome.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me your name.

Taya:
My name's Taya.

Anthony Godfrey:
And you're the dance captain.

Taya:
Yeah, so I'm the dance captain and I'm in both ensembles.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about being dance captain.

Taya:
So, basically my job is to make sure everyone knows what they're doing in the show, really, in general. Because this is a very dance-heavy show. Like, a lot of people wouldn't think that about Hadestown, but we have so many dance numbers. So, I make sure our timing is correct and that everyone looks good and is having fun with what they're doing.

Anthony Godfrey:
Looks good and is having fun.

Taya:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
So, I shouldn't be going … one, two, three, four. You shouldn’t be counting.

Taya:
Yeah, you should not be doing that.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, alright. How many people might be dancing at one time?

Taya:
I would say, yeah, about 80-ish.

Clin Easton:
Between 40 and 80.

Taya:
Mm-hmm.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Taya:
So, it's crazy.

Anthony Godfrey:
Down into the aisles, out in front of the stage, and on the stage.

Taya:
Yes, we have people in the front dancing, like, on the floor, and then we have people on stage and people in these two aisles dancing.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's a ton to coordinate.

Taya:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
How did you end up as dance captain? What is your dance background?

Taya:
So, I've danced, basically, my entire life. I did competitive dancing for a while, and then I got into theater, and I was like, "Oh, this is so fun." And then you can combine the two aspects, so it's really fun.

Erin McGuire:
I, as the director, chose her because I knew that she was a very excellent dancer and very organized on top of things, learning stuff really fast, and that she would be good with teaching and re-teaching and training all the other students. And so, I chose her to be that kind of leader for the show.

Anthony Godfrey:
So, you're not only a great dancer, you're also a great leader that's able to get the best out of those around you.

Taya:
I'd like to think so. Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Talking with you now, I have great confidence that it's going to turn out fantastic.

Taya:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
I asked Ethan this, for those listening, why would they come to Hadestown?

Erin McGuire:
There's a reason that classic stories are classics. They attract and hold our attention for centuries. So, there's something to those stories, to those characters, that human beings connect to on both a basic and an emotional and intellectual level. So, we're telling that kind of story. You're going to enjoy that because humans have for thousands of years.

Also, the way that the author and the composer has put it together, it also has a modern sensibility to it. It's like a folk song kind of musical. The music is beautiful. It's absolutely beautiful. It's used in very different ways. I mean, we've got both strings and a trombone. So, that tells you just the variety of things that we have with it.

Anthony Godfrey:
And it's fresh for high schools to be able to do this.

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's newly available.

Erin McGuire:
Exactly.

Anthony Godfrey:
And it's a timeless story, lots of dancing, singing from start to finish, any unique production different from what you've seen before. What could be better? Don't miss it.

Students singing:

Anthony Godfrey:
If you'd like to watch one of the performances, "Hadestown" runs Thursday, November 14th through Monday, November 18th.

Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

Transcription coming soon.