Children's Opera: The Sky is Falling and I'm Not Even Kidding!

Hundreds of Merced County school children will come to UC Merced next week for the campus’s annual opera-for-children performance. 

 

Nearly 3,500 elementary school students and educators will attend this year’s opera, “The Sky is Falling and I’m Not Even Kidding!” Ten shows for local elementary school students will take place during the week, culminating with a free performance for the public Friday, May 23 at 6:30 p.m. in Lakireddy Auditorium.

 

“The Sky is Falling and I’m Not Even Kidding,” a retelling of the story of Chicken Little, was written by Nancy Steele Brokaw and features music by Mozart, Gilbert and Sullivan, Puccini and Bizet. The opera also features a host of local talent including UC Merced freshman TaNayiah Bryels, professional opera singer Shawnette Sulker, Modesto Junior College student Uriah Brown, actor Colton Dennis and pianist and music teacher Patrice Stribling Nelson. This version of the story uses humor to help drive home important lessons: Think of others before yourself; examine the facts; and think before you speak. 

 

This year’s performances are sponsored through a grant from the Merced County Office of Education, Arts UC Merced Presents, the Betty Scalice Foundation and private donations. Each participating teacher receives a curriculum packet to help teach students opera vocabulary, performing arts protocols and the opera’s concepts. 

 

This year marks the opera’s fifth year at UC Merced. In 2009 and 2010, students were treated to “Little Red Riding Hood,” and in 2012 and 2013, the show was “Ugh the Duck.”