SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! JR. Returns to Upper Darby Summer Stage, 7/30-8/1

Learn lessons with the cast of "Schoolhouse Rock LIVE! Jr." as they go on an adventure to bring the classic, Emmy-Award winning TV show to life on the stage. Performances are July 30, 31 and August 1 at 10:30 a.m. and on July 31 at 7:30 p.m.

While nervous for his first day of teaching, Tom learns meaningful lessons from his students. Favorite songs from the pop culture phenomenon include I'm Just a Bill, Three is a Magic Number and Lolly, Lolly, Lolly.

The 60-minute performances of "Schoolhouse Rock LIVE! Jr." will take place on July 30, 31 and August 1 at 10:30 a.m. and on July 31 at 7:30 p.m. The shows are performed at the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center, 601 N. Lansdowne Ave, Drexel Hill, just minutes from the Main Line and Center City. Parking is free. Tickets are $7 - $10 and can be purchased online at www.udpac.org or by calling the box office: 610.622.1189. Children are invited to come early for fun pre-show activities and stay after the show to meet cast members. "Schoolhouse Rock, LIVE! Jr." is ideal for ages four and up and free babysitting is available for those who are too young to enjoy the show quietly.

Tom the Teacher (Billy McKeown of Newtown Square) is incredibly nervous about preparing for his first day of teaching. To calm his nerves he turns on the TV and stumbles across an episode of Schoolhouse Rock. Suddenly, there are children pouring out of the TV from the show! They have come to help Tom understand his first day and what really matters is that he should have fun, be creative and treat learning like an adventure. In the end, Tom feels not only prepared to teach, but also excited to learn from his students. Featured soloists include "The Circulation" (Samantha Henderson of Clifton Heights), "Conjunction Junction" (Kylie Dryden of Drexel Hill), and "Interplanet Janet" (Yasmine Ferguson-Smalls of Upper Darby).

Director Rachel Stevens said, "I hope audiences can leave the theatre and recreate these numbers for the rest of their summer! The Statue of Liberty can be made out of a rake and a bed sheet, for example, and kids can travel to outer space right from their backyard!" Stevens added, "Although the show was popular in the '70s, the lessons "Schoolhouse Rock LIVE, Jr." can teach are just as fun, creative and catchy as they were back then."

Audience members are encouraged to bring in new toys and teenage books for the "To Fill the World with Love" Toy/Book Drive. Contributors will eligible for a chance to win a train set provided by Bachmann Trains. Upper Darby Summer Stage is partnering with Bachmann Trains and the Delaware County Library System to benefit the young patients at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Drop-off bins will be located on site at Upper Darby Performing Arts Center.

The Upper Darby Performing Arts Center and Upper Darby Summer Stage are jointly sponsored by Upper Darby Township Mayor and Council and the Upper Darby School District Board of School Directors through the Department of Recreation and Leisure Services.

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