Brookwood sings about America

Honoring America's past through song is the underlying theme for Brookwood Sings America.

Set to be performed Tuesday by the third-grade class of Brookwood Elementary School, the musical abandons the traditional storyline structure in place of a theme.

"It traces the history of America," said Johnny Carr, a music teacher at Brookwood Elementary and the director of the play. "It starts out with This Land is Your Land, and then it traces the roots of America through the Erie Canal and the westward expansion all the way up to present day time, when we're talking about Hurricane Katrina and the war in Iraq."

A multimedia performance, the play employs song, dance, skits, film clips and Powerpoint presentations. It's also audience interactive, Carr said.

"There will be songs where the entire audience will sing along," he said.

"It honors the servicemen and servicewomen who have served, or are currently serving, in our country's armed forces. A portion of the show will recognize them and ask them to stand."

Carr said the performance also recognizes such unsung heroes as people who helped after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina.

"What makes America great is the underlying theme to it," he said. "It's the people that make America great."

Open to the public, the musical will be performed at 2:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. It will be held at the school, located at 455 S. Old Belair Road. Admission is free.