Detroit Ukrainian Language School's children present "Koza Dereza" (07/13/97)

Detroit Ukrainian Language School's children present "Koza Dereza"

DETROIT - Each spring, the Ukrainian Language School (Ridna Shkola) of Detroit honors Ukraine's literary genius with a performance program by the school's children. Thanks to the efforts of a rejuvenated corps of dedicated teachers, talented students and supportive parents, this year's program, held on May 17, eclipsed all recent artistic performances in Detroit's Ukrainian community.

A noon time audience was treated to a stunning hourlong presentation of the traditional Ukrainian children's story "Koza Dereza." The operetta, with a cast of over 60 students from grades kindergarten through 6, included song, dance, humor and mild drama. It featured a repertoire of composer Mykola Lysenko's traditional Ukrainian songs and melodies as selected and arranged by Ridna Shkola's music teacher, Myroslava Boryschuk.

The play opened with the fifth and sixth grade choir singing a traditional Lysenko selection. As the curtain rises, the young Koza Dereza, played by kindergarten student Nastusia Novachynska, stands innocently at mid-stage. The audience was immediately taken with this impish kid-koza. A young lad, played by first grader Demyan Hryciw fell for the goat-essa and convinced his elders, played by Lubko Berezovsky (fourth grade) and Dimitra Leheta (third) to invest in goat ownership, but not before a hilariously thorough dental inspection that left both the performers and audience with dropped jaws and wide smiles. As the story goes, the investment soon turns sour as the cute but chronically exaggerating Koza repeatedly accuses her keepers of malnourishing her. The casting in this opening scene was superb. Lubko Berezovsky and Dimitra Leheta were the quintessential "Did i Baba" and the toothless Mr. Hryciw appeared to be thoroughly enjoying his newfound friend. Miss Novachynska thrilled the audience with her enchanting performance and indescribably delightful goat-esque voice.

After a brief interlude, a now mature Koza Dereza, played fluidly by fourth grader Adriana Kuprianchyk, staked her claim to the home of the meek and soft-spoken Lysychka (fox), played eloquently by third grader Victoria Krajnc. First a group of hopping Zaichyky (rabbits) played by second graders Andrij Serediuk, Alex Polansky, Roman Baranyk, Maxim Nestorowich and Adrian Panasiuk; then nimble dancing Vovky (wolves) played by fourth graders Stefko Dzul, Victor Polansky, Roman Lawrin, Petro Onyskiw and Jurko Woloszczuk; and finally a group of slow-moving, honey-eating Vedmedi (bears) played by third graders Peter Sawka, Bohdan Kindzelski, Oles Slywynsky and Adrian Skalchuk failed to evict the stubborn Dereza from the Lysychka' s home. With each eviction attempt, the stellar Miss Kuprianchik broke into the operetta's trademark "foot-stomping, tailsweeping" song.

The various animal legions were successively forced to back off as the hapless Lysychka looks on. The tale's climax begans with the arrival of the brightly costumed protagonist Rak-Neborak (crayfish) played by fourth grader Dmytri Hryciw. The Rak's superb dance, song and crustaceous movements rallied the animals to finally overcome the pesky Koza Dereza. The full cast and choir, including both Derezy, celebrated with a thunderous victory anthem met with rousing applause from the audience.

The stage decorations were masterfully prepared and augmented with live swaying trees (Tolya Zubryckyj, Markian Stakhiv, Marko Thomson) and mushrooms (Mykola Mursky, Andrij Loginsky, Pavlo Szkilnyk, Danylo Stakhiv). The operetta included traditional Ukrainian dances performed by the aforementioned wolves and classical dances by groups of Flowers (Olga Rudichenko, Leeza Kossak, Elizabeth Dzul, Natalka Bohay, Natalka Taras, Lesia Pichurko); Butterflies (Alexandra Beswerchij, Luba Terleckyj, Christina Eliashevsky, Larissa Kunynskyj, Maria Lawrin) and Honey Bees (Katherina Stewart, Renee and Sara Cholyway, Lesia Onyskiw, Marta Zubar). The tale was masterfully narrated by sixth graders Julia Kurta and Alexandra Leheta. The "Koza Dereza" operetta was produced and directed by Ridna Shkola teachers Myroslava Boryschuk, Vira Kurta, Liusia Prasicka Hryciw, Olia Novachynska, Nadia Sutar and Luba Vyhnanska.

Prior to the "Koza Dereza" operetta, the seventh, eighth and ninth grades, under the direction of teachers Tania Kindzelska, Valentyna Boyko and Ridna Shkola's Principal Dr. Jaroslaw Berezovsky, presented a montage of renowned Ukrainian historical figures and read works by Ukrainian poets, Lesia Ukrainka, Taras Shevchenko and Ivan Franko. The afternoon's performance was brought to a close with Dr. Berezovsky thanking the students for their diligence, the teachers for their tireless efforts and the parents for their support. The performance program culminated a highly successful school year which witnessed growth and enhanced programs of study. Detroit's Ridna Shkola is indeed on an upswing with even greater achievements foreseen for the 1997-1998 academic year.

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