Oceanside musical theater raising the bar

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Students are excelling in Oceanside Schools’ musical theater program, according to long-time music teacher Bruce Bider. “I see what they can do and they never cease to amaze me,” he said. “However high I think the bar is, they always go higher.”

Bider, a teacher in the district for 31 years, teaches general music classes district-wide — from elementary to middle to high school, in addition to directing the Oceanside High School’s annual spring musical.

He is also the co-founder and producer of South Shore Theatricals, a regional, semi-professional theater group. He said that when he sees big potential in students, he often invites them to perform with his group, which welcomes talent from across Long Island and beyond.

On Dec. 2, two elementary school students and four high school students from Oceanside schools participated in a holiday performance at Long Beach Library with South Shore Theatricals. Joining them were Bider on piano, student singers from Plainview and adult professionals, including New York City-based actress Sarah Rice, who was the first to play the role of Johanna in “Sweeney Todd” on Broadway. The award-winning performer has many other theater and opera credits.

“It’s pretty amazing because you connect with people who have been in the business for years,” said Emily Oberstein, 16, of Oceanside. “They’re amazing performers and offer so much to us.”

Through South Shore Theatricals, Bider has made connections with several musical theater professionals, such as Marilyn Maye and Anita Gillette, who he brings back to work with youths. At the Sunday afternoon performance, the mixed-age group of 11 performers sang classics like “We Need a Little Christmas,” “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel” and “Jingle Bells” to about 100 attendees.

“It was an awesome experience and I can’t wait for what’s in store in the future,” Oberstein said. “I had so much fun with it, and it’s something I want to do time and time again.”

Oberstein’s father, Seth, praised Bider for exposing musical theater students to performers outside the district, expanding their horizons and providing exceptional experience. “It’s nice to see a teacher who has so much professional experience and is able to offer it to the kids,” he said. “He is mentoring them, and it’s not something that happens a lot.”

Bider commended the Oceanside School District for prioritizing musical theater in its courses and programming. Its elementary and middle schools offer after-school drama clubs, where young students are introduced to theater, and a drama club in high school, as well as theater, dance and music classes under the direction of department head Robert Brase.

“By the time [Oceanside] students get to high school, they have already had years worth of experience,” Bider said. “In most other towns, it may be students’ first experience performing on stage in high school, where by this time in Oceanside kids are veterans.”

Bider attended Hofstra University, originally wanting to pursue directing professionally until he began working in drama clubs with children. He earned a master’s degree in music education, got right into teaching at Oceanside schools and hasn’t looked back since.

“I never regretted it,” Bider said. “Some of high school students started working with me in elementary school, so I get to watch these kids grow up and become better performers every year. That is the inspiration to keep me going.”