‘Great Iowa History Play’ makes a stop in Webster City
By CARRIE OLSON Daily Freeman-Journal Staff WriterArticle Photos
Webster City Middle School's entire sixth grade class performed in "The Great Iowa History Play Thursday.
The play is a humorous account of certain scenes from Iowa's history. Students rehearsed the previous day with the writer and director Fax Gilbert, of Fairfield. The play progressed from the pre-historic age with moon-walking fish to a funny account of a pioneer schoolhouse taught by Headmaster Tony Bussan.
"I wrote this play for Iowa's 150th birthday, as the State was giving grants to artists that created activities for the event. At first I didn't have a lot of interest in Iowa history, but after I started, it really became a creative endeavor," Gilbert said. "I have directed the play about 500 times in four different states, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Nebraska. The play isn't about conveying a lot of different names of people and places, but to give students a feeling about what it could be like to be alive during those time periods."
Originally from the east coast, Gilbert has worked as a performing mime and magician in colleges in Boston. He moved to Fairfield about twenty years ago with his wife.
"I work with four other school programs as well," he said. "One is about bullying and another is on health and happiness."
"It's a phenomenal event for the sixth graders," Duane Harding, the vice principal of Webster City Middle School said about the program. "It's a chance for them to not just learn from their books but actually participate in what they are studying. It gives the kids a snapshot of Iowa history.
While the sixth graders seem to be really having a great time with the play, the fifth grade students watched the performance and were able to see what they could look forward to doing in the next year to come. Kids watched in awe as their fellow classmates transformed into different characters on stage.
"Not only do they learn history, but they learn about performance arts and it also boosts their self esteem." Gilbert said. "Kids learn they have abilities they didn't know they had and get recognized by the audience at the same time."
Contact Carrie Olson at lifestyles@freemanjournal.net or call 832-4350.
