Issaquah parents enlist Broadway legend to help 'get out the vote'
ISSAQUAH, Wash. -- A group of Issaquah parents chose a unique way to get the word out about an upcoming vote.
On April 17 voters will decide the fate of a $200 million school bond, and an Issaquah resident who happens to be a Broadway legend is hoping his latest production will have people singing "yes" at the ballot box.
In an effort to convince voters to support the bond, supporters put together a Youtube video aimed at letting people know why it's necessary.
The music video features five local girls singing a parody of the song "It's a Hard Knock Life." The video is getting a lot of local attention, and it's not difficult to see why when you learn who produced it.
The secret weapon behind the video is a man named Martin Charnin. Charnin has a rich history on the stage, to say the least.
"I wrote the lyrics for 'Annie,' created it, directed it," Charnin said. "It ran 2,377 performances on Broadway."
Yes, the creator of one of Broadway's most beloved musicals lives on the Eastside and his wife gives the girls singing lessons.
"The mothers came to me and told me they wanted to do something about this bond issue, which is really significant," Charnin said.
Charnin said it took him about a half hour to write the song for the kids. It won't win a Tony award, but if it convinces people in the Issaquah School District to vote for the bond, that will be enough of a curtain call.
"It's more rewarding to me, absolutely," Charnin said. "It's fun to work with these little chickens because they're all wonderful and they're very talented."
Charnin moved to the area in 2005 to direct the 30th anniversary production of "Annie" at the Paramount Theater and he liked it so much he decided to stay.
On April 17 voters will decide the fate of a $200 million school bond, and an Issaquah resident who happens to be a Broadway legend is hoping his latest production will have people singing "yes" at the ballot box.
In an effort to convince voters to support the bond, supporters put together a Youtube video aimed at letting people know why it's necessary.
The music video features five local girls singing a parody of the song "It's a Hard Knock Life." The video is getting a lot of local attention, and it's not difficult to see why when you learn who produced it.
The secret weapon behind the video is a man named Martin Charnin. Charnin has a rich history on the stage, to say the least.
"I wrote the lyrics for 'Annie,' created it, directed it," Charnin said. "It ran 2,377 performances on Broadway."
Yes, the creator of one of Broadway's most beloved musicals lives on the Eastside and his wife gives the girls singing lessons.
"The mothers came to me and told me they wanted to do something about this bond issue, which is really significant," Charnin said.
Charnin said it took him about a half hour to write the song for the kids. It won't win a Tony award, but if it convinces people in the Issaquah School District to vote for the bond, that will be enough of a curtain call.
"It's more rewarding to me, absolutely," Charnin said. "It's fun to work with these little chickens because they're all wonderful and they're very talented."
Charnin moved to the area in 2005 to direct the 30th anniversary production of "Annie" at the Paramount Theater and he liked it so much he decided to stay.
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