Bellmore-Merrick’s students put on 'Oliver Twist'

Students in the Extended School Year program in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District were featured on the big screen once again, with this year’s production of “Oliver Twist.” For the last six years, the production chosen by the district’s summer school program has been recorded and made into a movie, thanks to the efforts of Kathy Brickmeier, a paraprofessional at Sanford H. Calhoun High School, and her son, Vonn.

The Extended School Year Program is for students with Individual Education Programs, also known as IEPs, who have been deemed in need of schooling during the summer so they do not regress educationally, socially or emotionally. This year, the ESY program was held at Merrick Avenue Middle School. Students range from seventh-graders through age 21.

Kathy Brickmeier has long worked at ESY, and said the program’s teachers and paraprofessionals found that the students liked acting, and at first, they put on a play. But, they found that some of the students struggled with memorizing their lines and had stage fright.

So, Kathy and her son, Vonn, who has experience in acting and production work, came up with the idea of creating a movie instead. The kids would still be acting and performing — but could do so in  a more comfortable setting.

“I always say film is much more forgiving,” Kathy said, “and it’s so true. We can make mistakes — they know they can make mistakes and laugh about it and start again. There’s not a zillion people watching them, it’s like two or three of us watching them. I think that eases the tension.”

“Oliver Twist” was ESY’s sixth film production, and it premiered in Merrick Avenue Middle School’s auditorium on Aug. 15, to crowds of students, teachers and administrators. The Brickmeiers run the company Autoroph Films, with the goal of perhaps eventually branching out and helping other special-education students outside of Bellmore-Merrick. Their work thus far has remained primarily within the Central District.

In the past, alongside several student leads, Kathy and Vonn employed the help of district teachers and administrators, who would star alongside the kids in the film. However, this year, the Brickmeiers had so many kids interested in participating that for the first time ever, the film featured only students.

This summer, there were about 70 kids enrolled in the ESY program, and over 60 of them participated in the production in some fashion.

“Oliver Twist” is based on Charles Dickens’ novels of the same name. The story tells the tale of an orphan named Oliver, who is being raised in a workhouse in London. After he escapes, he meets a gang of juvenile pickpockets, and later discovers the secrets of his family, and reconnects with remaining relatives. The book was turned into a musical, “Oliver!” which premiered in London in the 1960s.

The Brickmeiers create a modified script and screenplay for the students to follow. Vonn oversees the video operations of the production, as well as the recording and editing process, which makes use of green screens, stage lighting and special effects.

The students follow a schedule throughout their summer school day, which includes time outdoors as well as instructional periods. The Brickmeiers said they worked with the students involved in the play every day, for various periods of time, depending on how large their role was.

Kathy Brickmeier said watching the kids go through the production process is an incredible experience. “They come to work,” she said. “Each day they come in, we do a little acting exercise and then we go right into it. It shows how hard they’ve worked, and that they take direction so well. It’s incredible.”

“The main purpose of having the kids act was to boost their self esteem, to (learn) to work together as a team and to have fun, most importantly ” Vonn added. “Acting in our films enhances their social skills and it gives them a sense of accomplishment. And honestly, they’re really great actors.”

Every year, the Brickmeiers said the production just gets better and better.

“It’s such a big change from last year,” Kathy said. “We always see growth year to year, but this was the biggest — the largest growth — we’ve seen. We would leave there smiling from ear to ear because it was just so well-received and it’s heartwarming.”

“The kids did a really good job,” Vonn said, “and they tapped into their inner courage and strength.”