Patch Talk With Clarika Dennis: Thespian Roles and Kindergarten Rules

Clarkia Dennis is returning to the stage after a decades-long hiatus with this weekend’s performance of “All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten” at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church in Brandon.

“It’s been 45 years since I’ve been on a stage,” she told fellow Kiwanian Helen Mulrennan Young, at the Nov. 17 meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon at Ben’s Family Restaurant in Brandon.

That was enough to pique a further questioning, which is when Dennis related that her last time on stage was in high school, in a role as the devil.

“So, I think it’s appropriate,” she added, “that I’m doing my next play in a church."

Based on Robert Fulghum’s best-selling books, the comedy for Dennis has been “a lot of fun” and “it makes me believe I can do things I didn’t think I could do.”

We explored the production further with Dennis, who also is president of United Methodist Women and a member of the church’s Just Older Youth group, or JOY.

Brandon Patch: What about stage fright?

• Dennis: I’ve never had any stage fright. The first time I publicly spoke I was 2 ½ years old. I was living in Miami and my mother had to stop me because I’d stop strangers in the street and talk to them about my doll Blueanna.

Brandon Patch: You said you were a teacher.

• Dennis: I was an educator for 32 years, so I got in a lot of public speaking with my students, and later with my staff, as an administrator.

Brandon Patch: What do you like about performing?

• Dennis: The people are wonderful. It’s good for your memory, having to memorize lines, and it keeps you involved in the community. And  I strongly support my church. My church has been my support and it has given me a purpose in life and a reason to help others.

Brandon Patch: What do you like about the show?

• Dennis: It refocuses your attention on what’s really important in life.

Brandon Patch: For example?

• Dennis: There’s a scene where we give you the rules of life in kindergarten, such as “hold hands when you cross the street” and “don’t take things that don’t belong to you.” So it’s the basic rules of life and if you can live your life by them you’ll have a happier life, a better life, a wonderful life, a blessed life. It’s a refreshing reminder that life is about good things.

The curtain rises at 7 p.m. for the Nov. 18 and 19 performances of “All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” at in Brandon. Admission is free.