Deep in the Colorado mountains, last week 500 audience members witnessed what many Phish devotees spend decades hunting for—a full theatrical staging of the band's rarely performed Gamehendge saga. The twist? The Helping Friendly Book was performed by kindergarteners through fifth graders, backed by a live five-piece band and armed with handmade props.
Nederland, Jamestown, and Gold Hill Elementary Schools pooled their talent for the May 14 spectacle, with music teacher Kirk Kubicek leading the effort. The part-time teacher has a history of ambitious end-of-year productions—previous shows paid homage to the Beatles and the town's legendary Caribou Ranch studio. A student approached Kubicek after last year's show and asked, "Mr. Kirk, are we gonna do a Phish show next year?" He said yes.
Kubicek spent four months orchestrating the performance, splitting rehearsal days between three schools to prepare the 75-minute show. He drew inspiration from a New Jersey elementary school that had done something similar, but decided to focus on Phish mythology instead. The result featured fifth graders as the Unit Monster, Erin Wolfe, the Sloth, and the Famous Mockingbird.
The program handed to parents summed up the themes: "The saga's themes of community over isolation, knowledge sharing, and surrendering to the flow have resonated with generations of fans."
They encored with "Tweezer Reprise." A five-year-old handled bubble-blowing duty during the late show.
