Atlantic Shores actors bring nursery rhymes alive for Beach students

RED MILL — A troupe of actors from Atlantic Shores Retirement Community recently brought nursery rhymes to life for students through a traveling production called Mother Goose Live.

They went to Red Mill Elementary School, among other places, to perform this past month.

Kathy Parks, resident services director at Atlantic Shores, narrated, reading the tales from a book while the actors illustrated the action. There was music, too, by Mark Pettiford, an Atlantic Shores groundskeeper.

In the moments before the show started in the school’s “cafetorium,” Bob and Jane Moje were dressed as Jack and Jill. Bob Moje raised his bucket purposefully.

“To fetch a pail of water,” he explained.

He had wondered whether the effort would connect with the young students, but “I saw how much fun the kids had.”

That was clear at Red Mill Elementary.

Children laughed, smiled, and high-fived performers as they walked to and from the performance area in the front of the cafetorium.

Dr. Michelle Miller, the school’s principal, spoke with students after the show.

“Raise your hands if you’ve heard a nursery rhyme you’ve never heard before,” she said. Hands shot up.

“I did,” Miller said. “I’d never heard of the girl with the curl.”

For those who don’t know it, it involves a child whose behavior varies.

Performances also were held at Rainbow Station, Seatack Elementary School and Birdneck Elementary School.