Brown Ave. play celebrates Black History Month

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The students of Mrs. Diana Mollicone’s third grade class at Brown Avenue School recently celebrated Black History Month with a stunning rendition of their play, “A Hero’s Choice: The Story of American Hero Ruby Bridges.”

The play, which was performed in front of other classes and parents at the school last Friday, focused on Ruby Bridges, who at the age of 6 advanced the cause of civil rights in November 1960 when she became the first African American student to integrate an elementary school in the South. The students learned that through Ruby’s bravery, she helped pave the way for continued civil rights action and an end to segregation.

“We were working on biographies this month and were interested in a child who made a difference, and they decided that Ruby Bridges was who they wanted to portray,” said Mrs. Mollicone. “They helped write the play and looked up songs that were popular during that time period that they could sing that were upbeat. They had auditioned and went through the whole process, they did a beautiful job.”

The five-act play focused on issues so much larger than the small students, who acted and sang their hearts out as they described Ruby’s life from childhood through adulthood. Through their show, they described how during segregation, people were not given the same rights.

“Ruby was a very important figure in the civil rights movement, she was brave and courageous and teaches us that every person, even a child, can make a big difference in the world,” explained Ted Maguire and Hunter D’Elia.

Macy Leone, who played the lead Ruby Bridges, told the audience how Ruby was born in a small cabin in Mississippi, where they barely had enough food to eat and her father had difficulty finding a job as a janitor while her mom stayed home to care for the children.

Narrators Brady Davenport and Tommy Connell explored how African American children were not allowed to have the same education as white children and how schools lacked even basic supplies.

“I am ordering four young black girls to go to a white elementary school. It is unfair that you young girls haven’t been given an equal education,” said Dan Ordonez-Florez, who played a judge.

Actors Olivia Pacheco, Isabella Ricci, Evan Johnson and Mason Shanley portrayed angry protestors with an eerie chant that belied their small stature.

“Two, four, six, eight, we don’t want to integrate!” they yelled in front of protest signs while throwing apples.

Tommy Connell, Nick Benoit and Liam Hartman, who played U.S. Marshals who protected Ruby during her walk into school, offered words of comfort and solace as they escorted her.

“It’s not easy for people to change when they’re used to living a certain way,” explained Lauren Bobola, who played Ruby’s first teacher, Mrs. Henry.

Perhaps the most striking moment of the play was the children’s performance of the song, “We are the World,” which summarized the unifying message the students were trying to deliver.

“She led us away from hate, and she led us nearer to knowing each other, the white folks and the black folks,” read the children’s play pamphlet.

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