Jonesville’s Sauk Theatre will present its rendition of Robert Fulghum’s “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” with a cast composed entirely of actors over the age of 55. The show will run in the Phillips Auditorium from March 31-April 3. This will be the second Sauk production Hillsdale College has hosted since the theater’s roof collapsed in December.
The play is based on five of Fulghum’s books, and follows the human experience from kindergarten to death through a series of vignettes tied together by the common theme of childlike optimism.
“It’s not a single story that goes on for two hours,” Trinity Bird, executive director of the Sauk, said. “It’s a bit like ‘Saturday Night Live’ — a bunch of little scenes that fit together. There are no return characters.”
Bird also said the play’s content influenced him to cast the show exclusively with older actors.
“We had noticed in the past year or two that we have a lot of parts for young people,” he said. “But we have a lot of volunteers that are 55 and older. So this was our solution for a show to serve that community. Really, this show can be cast with anyone, but there’s something really profound about hearing people who have lived a longer life talking about life.”
Cast member Mike Smith said the closeness in the actors’ ages allowed the cast to come together quickly because of their common experiences.
“We’re all real compatible,” he said. “We’re all about the same age, so we’ve all had relatively the same experiences and backgrounds — raising kids and now grandkids. We don’t have to worry about the competition that comes with being a young actor.”
When asked about how use of the Phillips Auditorium has influenced the show’s production, M.J. Dulmage, the director, said she felt the ambience suited the story’s themes well.
“Because the Phillips is more intimate, I think this is the perfect show to have in there,” she said. “It involves way more storytelling than acting, and when you want to have an engaging storytelling experience, the more intimate, the better.”
Bird said he hopes that “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” will enjoy the same success the Sauk’s “M.A.S.H.” did when it ran in Phillips in February.
“Hopefully, the Sauk is going to be up and running this summer,” he said. “But even though we don’t have a theater now, people are coming. It’s great to see all this support. Our numbers for the ‘M.A.S.H.’ performances in the Phillips were higher than last year’s February show attendance.”
Tickets for “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” will be available at the door before all showings. Performances are at 8 p.m. on March 31-April 2 and at 3 p.m. on April 3. Tickets are $10, but, as usual, the Sauk offers a “pay what you can” option on opening night.