Ruby-Gazooby in the Music Room

"Linda gave an amazing performance, complete
with original music and puppets, juggling, and
acrobatics. Her show had children jumping up
and down and singing along, and tears of laughter
were running down many grown-up faces.
We recommend her to any community."
– Ellen Magnuson, Kendrick/Juliaetta Arts Committee

Join clown/musician extraordinaire, Linda Severt, as
she experiences a more than slightly silly music lesson
that explores a fantastic world of raucous rhythm,
rollicking songs, and topsy-turvy music theory.

When Ruby Gazooby (Linda) arrives and the teacher's
not there, having left a forbidding textbook, How to Play
Music, it's the magical cue for the room to literally
come to life as a startling array of everyday objects
and instruments give musical tips and pointers.

Lips Loudspeaker, Sweet-Pete-McBeat, and a
mischievous Metro Gnome are just a few of the zany
characters that Ruby meets in the Music Room. All are
everyday objects and musical instruments that have
been made into puppets, yet still function as instruments,
including guitar, octave guitar, concertina, recycled junk
drum set, bicycle horns, and more – all of which Linda
plays with great skill and dexterity.

In addition to being just good, fun theater, Ruby also
communicates an important message: children are
able to learn to play music simply through discovery
and exploration. At a time when children are getting
less arts education, and think that the only way to play
music is to learn to read it, this is a wonderful lesson to
learn, especially from someone as skilled as Ms. Severt.
Linda believes that there is great value both in formal
music education and in self-discovery and playing by ear.