Buddies bring Broadway to City High

Percussionists, vocalists, dancers and even a few football players; it's a diverse bunch and June Braverman is trying to wrangle them all to put on a show.

“It's a mix up of people,” said the director. “But if they're having fun and they look like they're enjoying it, that's all we can ask, because if they're having fun, then the audience will respond.”

Braverman is at the helm of “Best Buddies on Broadway,” a variety show fundraiser for Iowa City High School's Best Buddies program.

Braverman's son Tom Braverman is a special education teacher at City High. Two years ago he helped put on a talent show fundraiser for the school's Best Buddies organization, which pairs special education students with general education peers to foster friendships.

Ever since then, he's wanted to do it again with the help of his mother, who has organized fundraising shows for other organizations.

“We were hoping we could get more kids involved this time and involve more community members,” he said. “We decided to do something a little more polished.”

The cast includes community members as well as City High students and staff, including members of the school's Best Buddies chapter.

Mohamed Rouabhi, a senior at City High and Best Buddies participant, said his involvement in the program is what led him to join the show's roster of performers.

“This is honestly the first performance like this I've done,” he said. “The most singing I've done is in the shower or my car.”

Rouabhi, whose brother Abdenour is a special education student and a member of City High's Best Buddies, said he's having a lot of fun performing in the show even though he wasn't familiar with any of the songs.

Braverman chose the Broadway music because it's material with which she's familiar. Guests won't hear songs from the new hit Broadway musicals, though. Braverman opted for the classics.

“There's an audience that never gets to hear that stuff,” she said. “There's an audience for Broadway music and certainly for old comfortable things ... It's reminiscent of music that we danced to or shows that we saw.”

The show includes more than show tunes. City High's dance team and hip-hop dance club, among others, will perform.

Braverman also added her own touch. She's changed the lyrics to some of the songs in order to update them or to fit the production's themes of togetherness and compassion. So songs “Anything You Can Do” from “Annie Get Your Gun” and “Kids” from “Bye Bye Birdie” will sound a bit different than the Broadway versions.

The consensus among the Bravermans and Rouabhi is that the special education students are the show's unofficial stars and main draw.

“It's great watching them,” Rouabhi said. “They're out there doing their own thing and it's great.”

Braverman called their performances “infectious,” while her son, who teaches many of the performers in his classes, has seen them benefit from getting on stage.

“It's really an amazing experience because it gives them self-confidence,” he said.