Actor's latest role: reading
A retiree enchants students at Longleaf Elementary School with twice-weekly performances.
By MICHELE MILLER, Times Staff Writer
Published September 26, 2007
NEW PORT RICHEY - As an actor, Stan Rubin played a lot of roles, from community and dinner theater in New York to the traveling troupes that took him far and wide.
The former textile designer from the Bronx took on his first part, one of the townspeople in Fiddler on the Roof,at age 38.
"I never was up for the romantic lead parts. I was a character actor," said Rubin, 69, who for some 20 years kept busy in roles such as Mr. Mushnic in Little Shop of Horrors or Sancho Panza in Man of La Mancha.
But all that was just a big long rehearsal, said Rubin, 69, for the roles he takes on at Longleaf Elementary School.
There, on every Monday and Tuesday, he delves into the books of Robert Munsch and Mary Pope Osborne, author of the Magic Treehouse books, taking kindergarten and first- and second-grade students with him.
He loves doing the voices, from a high, squeaky-sounding princess to a low, booming dragon.
He brings along some props, too, always carrying them in a colorful paper bag.
There's the hand-made dragon puppet, blond wig, glittery crown and paper bag he dons for a book called the Paper Bag Princess. Giant utensils for David's Father (who just happens to be a giant) and brown pigtails for Angela's Airplane, a story about a little girl who wanders into an airport and suddenly finds herself aloft, piloting a plane all by her lonesome.
For Rubin, now retired, volunteering is probably the best way to pass a few hours.
"There's just so much you can do around the house," he said. "I have the best time because all my acting comes into play."
Even better is the response from children who eagerly greet him at the door and send him off with a collective, "Thank you, Mr. Stan."
"They love it," said kindergarten teacher Tina St. Pierre. "He does the voices. He does the props. He makes books come to life."
Fast facts
On the Web
For information about author Robert Munsch, check out his Web site: http://robertmunsch.com/.
For Magic Treehouse Books go to: www.randomhouse.com/kids/magictreehouse/.