Play celebrates Christmas1 min read

The Nutcracker, played by Axel Martinez, battles against the Mouse King, played by Kai Chorlton in Big Park Multi-Age’s production of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The play, made up of kindergarteners through second-graders was put on Friday, Dec. 19.
Zack Garcia/Larson Newspapers

Santa may come from the North Pole, but  former Big Park Community School Principal, Steve Gardner came almost as far for his former students’ Christmas play.

“He flew all the way from Maine for this. That was a big deal,” teacher Kim Jackson said. Some of the students knew his identity, while others did not.

“We told the kids he retired and works for Santa now,” Jackson added.

On Friday, Dec. 19, Big Park Community School’s multi-age kindergarten through second grade students performed their Christmas play.

Since 1994, Big Park’s kindergartners have performed “’Twas The Night Before Christmas” for their fellow students, teachers and parents, but this season saw two innovations: The addition of a series of dances from “The Nutcracker,” and the inclusion of the entire K-2
student population.

The 120 children ranged in age from 5 to 8 years old.

“It’s a bit like herding cats,” admitted Jackson, a teacher at Big Park since 1997. She has been in the multi-age program for the last five years, and predicts its students will now perform the Christmas play every three years in order to allow a new generation of students to experience it.

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To read the full story, see the Wednesday, Dec. 24, edition of the Sedona Red Rock News.

Larson Newspapers

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