California fifth grade presents 'Thwacked'

The fifth grade class performs "Thwacked" on April 19, 2018.
The fifth grade class performs "Thwacked" on April 19, 2018.

The California R-1 Elementary School fifth graders presented "Thwacked" on April 19 at the California High School. The musical performance was directed by Stacy Friedrich.

Described as "A fractured tale of frogs, folks and falling skies," Thwacked begins with several frogs on a log under an oak tree. One of them, Frog (Patrick Morrow), sings the solo part of "Swamp Serenade," then gets hit on the head with something.

He concludes that it was a piece of the sky that hit him. The song "It's Falling" featured a solo by Frog as the three frogs and the Tinker (Ayden Howard) decide to go convince the local villagers that everyone needs to go to work doing something about stopping the sky from falling. As the chorus sings "The Hop," the frogs go to the village. There is a bit of a problem in that everyone finds it hard to understand how they can be having a conversation with three frogs.

As they decide what to do, the chorus sings "We're Gonna Win" with a solo by librarian Miss Fingleton (Haylee Kiesling), they call on the Mayor (Isabelle Allen) to decide what to do. She gathers the council and the chorus sings "It Wouldn't Be Wise" as the mayor sings a solo part urging everyone to slow down until they really know what is going on and what can be done about it.

In the meantime, a skeptic of the idea of the sky falling, young villager Rachel (Kenzleigh Goans), sings a solo as the chorus performs "Believe In Yourself." The group treks over to the log to see where the original incident was supposed to have happened. As it turns out, it is determined that it was not the sky falling, but a large acorn which fell from the oak tree.

Rachel gives a kiss to Frog. The lights go out and when they come back on, Frog has turned into the Young Prince. He claims his memory is kind of "froggy" or foggy, but he remembers being cursed by a witch and then being a frog. The chorus completes the performance with a performance of "Amazing!"

The performers: Narrator No. 1- Sonya Grotjan; Narrator No. 2 - Brooklyn Moad; Frog - Patrick Morrow; Froggie - Amberlie Traver; Frogger - Rebekah Inglish; Tinker - Ayden Howard; Alexis - Bennett Gatlin; Denise - Daphne Wehmeir; Priscilla - Reagan Cain; Ed - Carlos Martinez; Becka - Azalee Elliott; Emily - Kierstyn Lawson; Mike - David Ihenacho; Rachel - Kenzleigh Goans; Miss Finkelton - Haylee Kiesling; Coach Klaxton - Tristan Nokes; Mayor - Isabelle Allen; Council Member 1 - Lexy Messerli; Council Member 2 - Emilia Collier; Council Member 3 - Jackson West; Council Member 4 - Brooks Volkart; Prince - Lance Clevenger; Bill - Sammy Turner; Peggy Sue - Miranda Lewellen; Lou - Ty McDonald; King - Gavin Smith; Queen - Lilly Frazier; Young Prince - Cameron Gunnerson; Enchantress - Natalie Hurtado; and Miss Finkelton - Haylee Kiesling.

The Hop Dancers: Macie Hentges, Zoe Street, Kylee Wright, Cassie Sellick, Annalyn Nokes, Destiny Needy, Allie Heather, Bayley Wood, Ava Bryant, Sophie McKinney, Miguel Contreras-Diaz, Jackson Hoellering, Daylen Behringer, Kayden Williams, Hayden Kilmer, Colin Kruger, Kadin Komoroski, Xavier Reed, Jace Schreck and Jackson West.

We're Gonna Win Dancers: Joseph Adams-Rains, Lucas Bleich, Dylan Branch, Rian Dent, Richard Burger, Ryan Scott, Talon Kirk, Gabriel Ramos, Owen Pringer, Will Edwards, Sherlyn Escobedo, Brookelynn Irvin, Kenzi Gensler, Madison Leach, Maggie Brown, Brittany Johnson, Peyton Vanderpool, Britney Leyva, Makayla Harper and Samantha Haslag.

It Wouldn't Be Wise Singers: Julian Gonzalez, Alexis Leyva, Lane Roth, Damien Pace, Elijah McCumber, Marlee McGuire, Ian Diaz, Sal Vasquez, Elric Christian, Kaden Moad, Giselle Martinez, Alyssa Ortbals, Vanessa Hernandez-Jones, Eleanor Martin, Hailey Clark, Hayleigh Davis, Maggie Gilliland, Lily Ringwald, Adrian Doyel and Maria Vedenhoupt.

Believe in Yourself Singers: Addison Mitchell, Miranda Stuart, Gracie Draffen, Sophie Laney, Ellye Messerli, Allison Houk, Maryah Hoback-Blair, Kya Peck, Dulce Perez-Contreras and Abigail McClelland.

She Will Save The Day Singers: Josue Leyva, Wyatt Loethen, Tyler Oden, Austin Rissler, Kooper Messerli, Gabriel Mills, Isaiah O'Connell, Dominick Turco, Zaine Humphrey, Ayden President, Trinity Mehmert, Yarixa Rodriguez-Torres, Elia Torres, Danielle Painter, Madelyn Knipker and Sylvia Thompson.