Show revived for stage to teach kids about music kids makes it to stage

ATLANTA --- Andre 3000's sassy cast of musical kids, who celebrated everything from crayons to the blues in the short-lived TV cartoon series Class of 3000 , are about to bring their eclectic sounds to the live stage.

The man who created them says the live show, like the cartoon, tries to teach kids the essence of music.

"This is about having fun with the music and melodies," said Andre 3000, a.k.a. Andre Benjamin, who co-created the cartoon series with executive producer Tommy Lynch. "It's not like we're trying to throw candy-coated morals at kids. We're bringing music to life for them to remember."

The Cartoon Network canceled the Emmy Award-winning show last spring, a year and a half after it debuted.

On Saturday, Class of 3000 Live opens at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. The hourlong children's play is expected to run through March 29. Mr. Benjamin hopes the production will eventually be performed in schools nationwide.

The production is based on the cartoon's first episode, Life Without Music . Jazz and blues artist Sunny Bridges flees his own international stardom to return to Atlanta, where he runs into rambunctious 12-year-old Lil' D and seven of his energetic friends who are seeking a music teacher at their performing arts middle school. Sunny ends up making them his students.

All featured songs were created by Mr. Benjamin, who is known for his 2004 smash hit Hey Ya! He and Big Boi of the six-time Grammy-winning group OutKast have churned out six platinum-plus albums, including Speakerboxxx/The Love Below .

Each song from Class of 3000 features Mr. Benjamin's jazzy melodies. He hopes the kids who attend the performances can learn more about how music is formed through instruments -- the same way he did when he was younger.

"I wanted to make sure it wasn't the teenybopper, kiddie sounds or stupid songs," he said. "I wanted to introduce them to different styles of music I was introduced to. From funk to jazz to calypso music, just to let them know there's a base from what they are hearing now. Everything came from something."

Class of 3000 won an Emmy in 2007 for Individual Achievement in Animation.

The Alliance Theatre contacted Cartoon Network and ended up going with Class of 3000 not long after the show was dropped.

"It wasn't really a great scheme or big plan, it just happened," Mr. Benjamin said. "They felt like it would be a perfect marriage. They reached out to me to see how I'll felt and I was like, 'cool.' "

Director Rosemary Newcott, who has worked at the Alliance Theatre for more than 20 years, said it was a "no-brainer" in choosing the show.

"The whole spirit of this show is infused with him, with his sense of humor and his love for music," she said of Mr. Benjamin.

Ms. Newcott said transforming the cartoon characters into human form wasn't tough. She found a nucleus of actors who were able to make the transition, including Sinatra Onyewuchi, who plays the lead role.

"When I look at Sinatra, I see Andre -- especially with his character. He fits the role of Sunny Bridges perfectly," Ms. Newcott said.

Mr. Onyewuchi, who grew up in the same part of metro Atlanta as Mr. Benjamin, has the rapper's tall, slender frame. To get into the role, Mr. Onyewuchi recalled watching the cartoon show with his younger brother. He also studied music videos that featured Mr. Benjamin.

Mr. Benjamin was impressed with Mr. Onyewuchi, along with the rest of the characters.

"I like seeing great creations," Mr. Benjamin said. "At the end of the day, I'm thinking to myself, 'Hey this seems like it'll be cool. I really want to see how this turns out.' I think it could work."