21x01 - The Biggest Test in the Universe

[bunniefuu]

♪ Butterfly in the sky ♪

♪ I can go twice as high ♪

♪ Take a look, it's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can go anywhere ♪

♪ Friends to know
and ways to grow ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can be anything ♪

♪ Take a look, it's in a book ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

Captioning made possible by
u.s. Department of education

Hey! Look what I found.

It's a bunch of old schoolwork
from when I was a kid.

Look at this.
I remember this test.

This is a multiplication test

From when I was
in the sixth grade.

I was so nervous
the day of this test.

I think I even asked my mom if
I could stay home from school.

Of course, she said no.

Just thinking about it,

I can remember the nervousness,
the feelings in my stomach,

You know what I mean?

But I think it worked out
all right.

I mean, I did ok.

When you're in school,

You have to prove yourself
all the time by taking tests,

And once in a while,
a test comes along so hard

That you really worry
about doing well.

In this book,

Mr. Albright's class
is facing that test,

The big school exam
that everyone dreads.

Rumors have been flying
for weeks,

And sam and his friends
are in a total panic.

But no matter what they do,

They can't avoid

"The biggest test
in the universe."

Gere: sam was the luckiest boy
in the universe.

He had mr. Albright
for a teacher.

Every year, mr. Albright's class
turned the whole room

Into the solar system.

The only bad thing
about this year
was the big test.

The big test tested everything
you ever learned.

So on monday,
when mr. Albright said,

"Boys and girls,
the big test is friday,"

Sam stopped feeling lucky.

Everyone spoke at once.

"Th-the test
with the answer sheet?"

"Uh, the test you have to pass
to stay in school?"

Mr. Albright said,

"It has answer sheets,
and everyone stays in school."

"The big test is so hard.

My brother says your head
looks like a marble
when it's over."

"Well, I heard you get blisters
on your brain."

"Now, you've been practicing,"
said mr. Albright.

"No one should worry."

Sam worried a lot.

On tuesday, the older kids
were talking on the playground.

"The big test booklet
is like a telephone book."

"Nobody finishes."

[Child gasps]

"When it's over,
they put your arm in a sling."

"Some arms fall off!"
Shrieked isabel.

"Do not!" Said sam.

But he worried more.

On wednesday,
cousin charlie said,

"The big test was easy.

I took it upside down
just for fun."

"Did not," said sam.

His grandfather said,

"Well, when I was a boy,
they measured your head,

"And if it wasn't bigger
at the end of the year,

No graduating."

"N-not true!" Said sam.

His mother said,

"When I was a girl,
they made us write
huge reports.

It took weeks,
and you slept at the school."

"Did not!" Shouted sam.

Sam's father said,
"why are you so worried?"

"Um...just am."

That night,
sam worried himself to sleep.

On thursday, the teachers
made the older kids

Put up helpful hints.

"Don't worry!"

"Do flashcards
the night before."

"Don't do flashcards
the night before."

"Get your parents to give you
a special breakfast.

Mmm. Yum, yum."

"Get a good night's sleep."

[Snoring]

"Wear something lucky.

Gloria is selling lucky charms."

"Bring tissue...

"In case you cry.

No, "in case your nose runs."

[Sniffle]

Sam wanted to cry.

Tomorrow was the big test.

Friday morning, sam said,

"Ohh. I'm sick today."

"Oh, dear," said his mother,

"I'll have to sign you up
for big test makeup day
next saturday.

No pancakes today,
no soccer next saturday."

"I feel better."

He put on his lucky hat.

At school,
the desks were in rows

Instead of clustered
in constellations.

There were new pencils.

Mr. Albright passed out
the test booklets.

Sam wished they were
painting the planets instead.

Mr. Albright said, "begin."

[Deep breath]

"Blast off," thought sam.

"Hmm. I'm in outer space."

Alice blew her nose.

George snickered.

Mr. Albright glared.

Sam turned the page.

He--he--he knew answers.

No, he made a mistake.

Rub, rub, went sam's eraser.

It made a black hole
in his paper.

"Emergency!"

"Oh, just go on,"
whispered mr. Albright.

Sam broke his pencil.

"Ohh. Emergency!"

Like a rocket, mr. Albright
zoomed over with a new one.

The end was at the bottom.

Finally, mr. Albright said,
"pencils down."

[Children groaning]

Sam's pencil crashed
onto his desk like a meteor.

Mr. Albright said,
"there. It wasn't that bad."

"Was, too!" They wailed.

"Wasn't that bad,"
said george to sam after school.

"No," said sam, "it was easy.

I took it upside down
just for fun."

George's little sister elly
caught up with them.

"How was the big test?"

"Terrible!" Claimed sam.

"My arm is falling off!"

"Test booklet is like
a telephone book," said george.

"Nobody finished," said sam.

"It's so hard, your head turns
into a marble," said george.

"Ohh! I'm gonna be sick
on big test day," declared elly.

"If you're sick, they bring it
to your house," warned sam.

"Yeah," said george, "I know
a kid who had to eat it."

"Yuck!" Cried elly.

"Hey, sophie," she gulped,

"Some kids had to eat
the big test!"

Sam was the luckiest boy
in the universe.

Now he had two reasons.

One, he had mr. Albright
for a teacher;

And two, he had taken
the biggest test in the universe

And lived.

In spite of the terror
that clutched their hearts,

Sam and his friends
lived through the big test.

They did everything
they could to prepare,

And they met the challenge
head on.

Now, school
isn't the only place

That kids feel the pressure
to succeed.

Dad! I told you
I need this room!

Especially
this counter.

Yikes. Ok.

Play auditions
are tomorrow,

And I'm trying out
for a really big part.

Well, micha,
you're gonna do
just fine, sweetie.

Easy for you to say.

Not like you
have to memorize
all of these lines.

Yeah, like I wouldn't
know anything about that.

You can't imagine
the pressure.

Pressure, huh?

Is that anything
like a test?

Exactly.
So I got to study, ok?

Ok.

You know, the truth is,

I know exactly how she feels.

And you probably do, too,

Because when you're
reaching for something

That's really important to you,

It's important that
you do your best.

When someone's judging you

And deciding whether
you've got what it takes,

The pressure's always on
to perform at your very best.

Man: here we go.

[Piano playing]

Kids: ♪ I'm in the outdoors ♪

♪ And I live like a tramp... ♪

Burton: this is tada,

A theater group
in new york city.

These kids are auditioning
to get into the latest show,

"Everything you wanted to know
about camp [almost]."

Kids: ♪ now I'm covered
with bumps ♪

♪ I try to lay down,
but the mattress has lumps ♪

Burton: today,
they have the chance
to show off their talent.

Kids: ♪ at camp
ichikawaooeemakohooyahoo ♪

♪ Something finally happened
that was great ♪

♪ And it's making me smile... ♪

Everything that
I like to do is here.

So, you know, singing, acting,
dancing--it's awesome.

♪ I hate it ♪

♪ I ♪

♪ Can't stand it ♪

♪ I want to go home... ♪

It's really nice to be
a part of something,

That you feel like you're doing
something with your life

And have a purpose.

♪ ...they're bugging me ♪

♪ There's a humming
and purring and whizzing
and whining and whirring... ♪

When the applause
is really loud and long,

It makes me feel really good.

I pulled so many pranks
at the camp I went to
last summer,

They wouldn't even
let me back.

And you've done
all this hard work,

And then all of a sudden,
you hear this applause,

And it feels great.

I would just do show business
just to have that moment.

This is the building
that tada is in.

It's where we perform,
rehearse, have auditions.

I'll show you around.

Burton: casey wenger-schulman
is a veteran performer at tada.

She's been at tada
since she was 8 years old,

And if she gets in,
it will be her eighth show.

This is where we have auditions
and rehearsals,

And it's a really cool room

Because there are
a lot of memories in it.

Come on in.

Welcome to the auditions
for "everything
about camp [almost]."

We're going to sing.
We're going to dance.
We're going to act.

We just want to see
what you have to offer.

Don't hold back.

Just really, really
give it your best sh*t.

Kids: ♪ a, b, c, d, e, f, g,
h, i, j, k... ♪

Burton: before they
actually audition,

The performers have to warm up.

Kids: ♪ ...w, x, y, and z ♪

Man: look at yourself
in the mirror. Overdo it.

Kids: ♪ a, b, c, d, e, f, g,
h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p ♪

♪ Q, r, s, t, u, v,
w, x, y, and z ♪

Man: good.

So let us now begin

By saying the name
of this camp all together.

All: ichikawaooeemakohooyahoo.

I'm worried, and I'm nervous,
but I mean, if I do my best

And if I try as hard as I can,

If I don't get in,
then that's out of my control,

And that'll be too bad.

♪ To this place
we will be true ♪

♪ Camp
ichikawaooeemakohooyahoo ♪

Woman: let me please
have lindsay, donna,
and christina.

Girl, voice-over:
everything you auditioned for,

You're not gonna in,

Because that's not realistic.

Kids: ♪ ...is cold and damp... ♪

Burton: the kids are not just
auditioning to get in the show,

But also for the parts
they really want.

The competition is tough.

♪ I try to lay down,
but I'm covered
with bumps ♪

♪ The kid
above me... ♪

Girl, voice-over:
I want the prankster part.

A lot of kids want that part.

Kids:
♪ ichikawaooeemakohooyahoo ♪

Casey, voice-over:
a lot of people want
to be a prankster.

I have a lot of competition.

♪ I'm in the outdoors,
and I live like a tramp ♪

♪ I'm in the mountain,
is mo-- ♪

What is it again?

♪ Summer vacation
is wasted at camp ♪

♪ At camp ♪

Kids:
♪ ichikawaooeemakohooyahoo ♪

Woman: casey and sherrel.

♪ I'm in the outdoors... ♪

Casey, voice-over:
when I'm up there auditioning,

It feels really scary
because all these people,

Like, the judges,

They're all staring at you
with these blank expressions.

♪ At camp
ichikawaooeemakohooyahoo ♪

♪ Early in the morning,
looking for the bathroom... ♪

Boy, voice-over:
if you try something,
you know, so hard,

And you put so much effort
and so much work into it,

And then you didn't get in,

It's just really disappointing,

And you just feel mad
at the world, to be honest.

♪ I'm over at the cookout ♪

♪ You wait in line... ♪

Casey, voice-over:
me, gabriella, maya, and merce,

We're the brooklyn crew.

♪ But I'll tell you
my hunch... ♪

We're all best friends,

And if one of us
doesn't get in,

It would just be
really hard for us.

"Hey, irina, I didn't know
you were coming back
to camp ichi this year."

Burton: two years ago,
maya experienced
this kind of rejection.

"There sure are."

Burton: she didn't get
any parts in that show.

Maya, voice-over:
when I didn't get the part
in "sleepover,"

It was kind of hard
because, you know,

All these thoughts
kept going through my mind.

I mean,
the main question is, why?

You just think,
"oh, what was wrong with me?"

And you keep thinking,

"Oh, what if I did this wrong?

I should have done
something differently."

And it's just kind of hard
because, you know,

You never know why
they didn't take you.

Kids: ♪ I hate camp... ♪

Burton: norman has been
performing for years,

And he's auditioning
for his last tada show.

Kids: ♪ I want to go home... ♪

Norman, voice-over:
I feel today like,

Wow. Hey, I hope
I get a decent part.

This is my last show here.
I want to go out with a bang.

Kids: ♪ to this place
we will be true... ♪

Girl, voice-over:
I want the prankster part

Because the last time
I saw "everything about camp,"

Norman, he actually had
a prankster part
with this other girl.

Burton: norman has become
a mentor to his younger
sister christina.

It's good...

Christina, voice-over:
he's my older brother.

So we do fight, just like
any brother and sister,

But I listen to him
because he's gotten so far.

The bug song--

I like the bug song
a lot better than
the prankster songs.

So it'll be good.

Norman, voice-over:
when I started this company,

I didn't necessarily think
I would go out to be an actor,

But now as the years
have gone by,

I know there's no other thing
for me to do but this, really,

Is to act.

So how do you feel
about leaving tada?



Are you gonna cry?

No, I'm not gonna cry,

But I will miss
the people, the staff,

And I'm glad that
I stuck it out
to the very end,

To the last
possible moment

Right before I get ready
to go to college.

Burton: robert enjoys
being around other performers,

And tada has become
his second home.

Robert: I don't really, like,
talk to people a lot

In my school,

And when I'm here,

I just have, like,
a lot of friends here

That take time and consideration

To listen to what I'm saying
and stuff.

So when I'm here,

I express myself a lot
to these people in here.

So, robert,
were you happy

That you went
to tada today?

How did it go?

It was really cool.

We continued
the run-through

That we did
from yesterday...

Robert, voice-over:
my mom really supports me a lot,

And she's just
very, very comforting,

And she's always there for me.

How was school today?

I know you've been having
a rough time.

Very, very, very
stressful.

Mr. Phillipe...

Robert, voice-over:
my mother is a single mom.

She works really hard
to keep a roof over our head.

And my brother is,
like, handicapped.

He has cerebral palsy.

You want to go
to your room?

Yeah, that's
where you want to go,
I bet you do.

I'm really nervous
because it can go either way.

But if I don't make the show,

I'm not just gonna quit
because I didn't make it.

♪ My turn at bat ♪

♪ And I can
hit the ball ♪

♪ When horseback
riding... ♪

Robert, voice-over:
when you're at an audition,

It's like a big test

Because it's like,
question number one:
you have to do this dance,

You have to sing this song.

Man: good.

Burton: once everyone
has auditioned,

The directing staff decides
who's in the show

And what parts they get.

What do you think
so far?

Lindsay is a "c"
for complainer,

And irena
is a complainer.

Merce is a complainer.

Who is the other?
Robert is a complainer.

Ok. So "everything
about camp" is--

Or the swimming song
we figured out.

Casey, voice-over:
I'm at home waiting for a call,

And it's a very important call

Because it tells you
if you got in or not.

When you get that call,

It's like, this is your grade.

You got in or you didn't get in.

It's like passing
or not passing.

Sometimes I'll think about,

"You know there's a chance
that you won't get in."

So I just can't go to sleep.

So usually my mom will come in
and read to me,

And that'll put me to sleep.

"I saw a climbing tree
settling on an oak

"With sturdy branches

Hunched up on a high..."

[Telephone rings]

Hello?

Yes.

Oh, hi.

Ooh, really?

Thank you.

Bye.

Mom, dad!

I got in! Whoo!

Burton: rehearsals begin,

And all of casey's friends
have made the show,

But not everyone got the part
they want.

Although the competition
for parts stressed
their relationship,

Their friendship
was still number one.

♪ There's a humming
and purring ♪

♪ And whizzing
and whining
and whirring ♪

Good. Can you guys
not crawl to
the final position?

Casey, voice-over:
me and maya,

We were very excited
about getting pranksters

Because she didn't
really think she was
gonna get that big a part

And I wasn't quite sure.

And merce had really,
really, really, really
wanted a prankster.

So he was kind of, like, upset.

So even if you said
the slightest thing,

Like, "oh, I got the prankster,"

He would call it,
like, bragging.

[Girl screams]

You did that when
you went for the s'mores.

Did i?

There are some people
who get big parts,

And they'll go on and on
about it for days,

And, you know, it's sort of like
the only thing they talk about.

♪ Catfish, crawfish,
slugfish, paddlefish ♪

♪ Goldfish,
peoplefish? ♪

♪ Not ♪

Casey, voice-over:
it was kind of hard
for, like, a day

Because he was just thinking
about how he didn't get it

And how two of his best friends
got it.

And then he finally
got his mind off of it

And he realized that he
also got a pretty good part.

Ok. Who wants to play
advice?

All right. Ok.

I have to respect her
for also being
open-minded,

And I know if I hadn't
gotten a prankster,

I would be kind of
bummed out.

Hi, sweetie.

Hi.

How's it going?

It's going good.

I mean, it's really hard,

But, you know, it's fine.

How'd they react
to your getting it?

Merce really
wanted it, too?

Yeah, and he finally
admitted it.

It's hard because
when you audition,

You're competing
with your friends,

You're competing
with an ensemble.

Some kids are gonna
get good parts,

And some kids aren't
gonna get such good parts.

But I think that
it's a testament to
the 4 of your friendship...

Yeah.

You know,
close friendship,

That it hasn't
affected the friendship.

Yeah.

♪ Look at all the kids
we got to know ♪

Casey, voice-over:
rehearsals are even, like,
more tense than auditions

Because you're learning
this stuff,

And it's usually
very hard to memorize,

And there are
a lot of people there.

But it's really awesome.

Burton: the rehearsals
will perfect every part
of the performance.

Opening night is just days away.

♪ Sneezy cow, ooie, yahoo ♪

[Both sneeze]

You know, it's amazing
how much hard work

Actually goes into
perfecting a performance.

Dad?
Hmm?

I'm done.

Really?

Yep. I've studied hard
and learned my lines

And my songs,

And now it's time
to relax.

Sounds good.

Uh, dad?
My baseball glove,
please?

Oh. Right.

There you go.

Thank you.

Micha, your...mess.

Actually, you know what?

Michaela's got
a pretty good attitude.

First you study hard,
then you relax.

It's a great way
to handle the stress,

Whether it's a test,
an audition, or a tryout.

Of course, everybody has
his or her own little tricks

To stay calm
in the face of anxiety.

So here are 3 stage fright
stories that are worthy
of your applause.

But you don't have to take
my word for it.

Hi. My name is
gabriella morello,

And I just finished reading
"angelina on stage."

This book is about angelina
and her cousin henry.

They're both
in a ballet performance.

Angelina gets jealous
because henry gets to
do something special.

He gets to say
a line of his own,

And all the cast and crew
adore him.

Henry gets stage fright.

He doesn't know where to go
on stage

And doesn't remember his lines.

Luckily, angelina
helps him remember.

It reminded me about when
I was playing the piano

Or singing and dancing
at recitals.

I get nervous when everyone
watches me play

Or I'm afraid that
I might play something wrong.

In the end, angelina gets
a special part of her own

For helping henry.

Hi. My name is debora,

And I really liked this book
called "beverly billingsly
takes a bow."

It's about a little mouse
that is very shy

On her first audition in a play.

Lois and beverly were friends.

Both auditioned for the play.

But when the show got started,

Lois forgot her lines on stage,

And beverly had to tell her
her lines backstage.

The teacher eventually
congratulated beverly

For being so nice to everybody

By giving her a great role
in the play.

I think that kids should
read this book

Because it teaches you a lesson

About you should always
have a strong friendship

Even though things don't happen
the way you planned them.

Hi. My name is christian,

And this is "wemberly worried."

She worries about everything.

On the first day of school,
she has a long list of worries.

Even though her mother
and father said, "don't worry,"

She worried.

The first day of school,
she meets this girl
called jewel.

They start being friends,

And that's when wemberly
stopped worrying about school.

If you're worried
about anything,

This is the book for you,

"Wemberly worried."

After all the hard work
and practices at tada,

There's still one test
left to pass:

The performance.

Backstage, the kids get ready
for the curtain to go up.

Casey, voice-over:
everyone is very nervous,

And you're all just
in your own place,

And you're all, like,
going around and you're trying
to remember your lines.

And you're always like,
"oh, my god!
I forgot what I say!

I forgot my song."

Just trying to
remember everything,
and it's very tense.

And then you run on the stage,
and usually it all goes away.

♪ Camp
ichikawaooeemakohooyahoo ♪

[All cheering]

♪ Mosquitoes got me ♪

♪ Now I'm covered
with bumps ♪

♪ I try to lay down ♪

♪ But the mattress
has lumps ♪

♪ The kid above me
has come down with the mumps ♪

♪ At camp
ichikawaooeemakohooyahoo ♪

♪ ...are better than, two ♪

♪ Are better than, two ♪

♪ Are better than one ♪

♪ Everything we do
is brand-pranking new ♪

All right. Who tied
my shoes together?

Kids: ♪ walk in the woods,
walk in the woods ♪

♪ All I ever want to do ♪

♪ Is to walk in the woods ♪

♪ And though we may not like it
when the summer ends ♪

♪ We're happy just to say
to all our friends ♪

♪ "Aloha, and we'll be
seeing you" ♪

♪ Aloha ♪

[Cheering and applause]

Casey, voice-over:
when the show is over,
it feels really great

Because you worked
and you worked,

And just to know that
everyone enjoyed it

Is really awesome.

[Applause]

Sometimes, you don't know
what you can do

Until you try,

And that's the value of
putting yourself to the test.

Knowing that you have to perform

Can actually help you
stretch your limits

And achieve more

Than if you didn't have a goal
in the first place.

So the next time you
have to prove yourself

And show that you've got
what it takes,

Just remember that
in your heart,

You know you can do it.

And if you put forth
your best effort--

And I mean your best effort--

Then everything will work out
just fine.

I'll see you next time.

♪ Tada, here we are ♪

♪ The biggest-singing
little kids ♪

♪ And big kids, too ♪

♪ Tada, here we are ♪

♪ Making it all our own way ♪

♪ So be on the lookout
wherever you go ♪

♪ We'll give you the business,
the business of show ♪

♪ We're bound
to make it big... ♪

Burton: today's
"reading rainbow" books are

"The biggest test
in the universe,"

Written and illustrated
by nancy poydar,

Published by holiday house;

"Beverly billingsly
takes a bow"

By alexander stadler,

Published by
harcourt incorporated;

"Wemberly worried,"

Written and illustrated
by kevin henkes,

Published by greenwillow books;

And "angelina on stage"
by katharine holabird,

Illustrated by helen craig,

Published by viking,

A division of penguin putnam.

Hi. I'm levar burton.

In uncertain times,

There's no more effective
way to make your kids
feel good and safe

Than to spend time with them.

We at "reading rainbow" suggest
sharing a book with your family.

Read for fun, read for family,
read for our future.