Singing and dancing history

Suzie Harrison

Forget about boring textbooks, tedious lectures or dated educational

films to learn about California’s history during the gold rush.

Marshall Klapman’s fourth-grade class at El Morro Elementary

School turned a history lesson into a toe-tapping, hand-clapping,

Broadway caliber experience with the musical production, “Gold Dust

or Bust!” -- a limited engagement performed June 9.

Complete with choreography by Linda Haylett of “Miss Linda’s

Castle”, and set design by Danita Crivello, “Gold Dust or Bust!” was

directed by Kym Castuera and produced by William Burr.

The 10-song production had the standing-room-only crowd engaged

every moment.

“The students spent six weeks studying history, geography,

sociology and cultural anthropology,” Klapman said. “Their listening

skills have improved.”

Klapman said they incorporated math, music, dance and physical

education into creating the play. Students spent five and six hours a

day rehearsing the last week. They were challenged and well up for

it.

“Sit back and enjoy the incredible journey of the Gold Rush days

-- when people from all over the world flocked to this state to make

their dreams come true,” Klapman said.

From the first number on, the characters were dressed the part,

bringing the audience back to 1848 and a sleepy Northern California

that would soon boom.

Grace Clark, 10, gave the introduction, telling jokes and setting

the scene with her clan.

“My name is Lucy Wilson; these are my sisters Lotti and Lu Lu and

our best friends Bonnie Jo, Betty Jo and Bobby Jo Johnson,” Grace

said. “We’re going to be your guides today.”

James Marshal (played by Dylan Bush) was fishing for trout and

found his line hooked on a gold nugget on John Sutter’s (played by

Jake Knott) land. They told each other it would be their little

secret, which took the cast into the second number, “Our Little

Secret.”

But soon the entire nation caught gold fever from New Orleans to

New England as people dreamed of getting rich in California, a fun

performance called “Gold Fever.”

Schuyler Vanderveen, 11, played Samuel Clemons, who parodied his

ventures in Calaveras County. He too was leaving Missouri to hit “The

Overland Trail,” where no one wants to believe they’ll fail.

“Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated,” he exclaimed,

quoting the famed writer known as Mark Twain.

“Gold Dust or Bust” was a fascinating journey through history

touching on the highs of belief -- one thinking they were a pan away

from striking it rich, to the merchants born in that era such as

Levi-Strauss -- to the harsh winters and progression to city life.

The cast received a standing ovation.

“I was really, really happy to be cast in my part; I really wanted

it,” Grace said. “It was hard to learn the choreography but was a lot

of fun.”

Sydney Saxe, 10, played Betty Jo Johnson.

“I exaggerated a lot like the two other Johnson sisters,” Sydney

said. “In real life sometimes I exaggerate, but I also try to keep it

kind of straight.”

Saxe said the hardest part was learning her lines.

Haley Castuera, 10, played Bobby Jo Johnson.

“She’s really funny, she tells really big lies; it was fun playing

that part,” Haley said. “It was a hard time to live; we have it easy

now in comparison.”

Hunter Schwirtz, 9, played Carni Bob Barker, a not-so-nice person.

“He tried to trick people into giving their money to him.”

Schuyler admitted Samuel Clemons -- Mark Twain -- didn’t really

have anything to do with the Gold Rush.

“He came to California in the 1860s, but he knew a lot about it,”

Schuyler said.