In 1995, my collaborator approached me to write a musical about the high school admissions process, and just like that, Eighth Grade Angst was born. Every year the school, the 8th graders, and their families, struggle with the entire admissions thing. While we as a school profess to not really push our students in this direction, we clearly do. There is lot of pressure for some, not so much for others. In those days, acceptances were mailed, the result being that students and their families looked for fat envelopes that contained all the paper work needed to enroll.
The opening song, Time Is, Time Was, Time’s Past is about just how quickly things move, particularly for an 8th grader who is simply trying to get to school on time. One of my favorite creations is Five Minutes With God. The school had a chaplain who was fond of having a variety of religious leaders as chapel guests. I randomly thought about what kind of questions the students would ask. GOD was played by our Spanish teacher who dressed as Glinda from “The Wizard of Oz.” It was epic.Next comes a song where I simply captured what the actual 8th graders said were the things they were looking forward to in their lives (I Know What I Want).
Perhaps the least successful song was about high school admissions officers (War Chant of the Admissions Directors). Looking back, I feel a little embarrassed by the way I took on an easy target. The music is not my favorite also. However, the next song more than makes up for it (Lullaby for Mother and Father). I have always had this belief that kids hear things we parens say to them, maybe not in the moment we say them, but when they need to be remembered. The beat and the melody are pretty sweet.
The words of the final song come from an ode by Arthur O’Shaughnessy, an ode that was used in Willy Wonka!
I appreciate your comments. Enjoy.
THE SONGS: Currently missing Dreamers of Dreams...coming soon
Sean Breen 