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A little song and dance never hurt anyone.

Trish Ewing and Melissa Simmons are not afraid to dress up in matching, funky costumes, sing, play musical instruments and dance, all to teach energetic audiences of 25 to 50 preschoolers what literature is all about.

Ewing and Simmons are preschool teachers at Faith Lutheran Preschool in Fairlawn. They started Show and Tell with Trish and Mel in March.

The interactive program, a 30- to 45-minute variety show based on classic children's stories, is expanding in the upstairs children's section at Barnes & Noble in Bath Township.

Every week there is a different theme, and Ewing and Simmons use their own props to act out the story.

``Every show is a total toss-up,'' Ewing said. ``We feed off of everything (the children) do. They're a big part of the act.''

Through August the program will be at 10 a.m. most Thursdays at Barnes & Noble.

In the fall, they will offer their 10-week, half-hour shows to local preschools. They already have five preschools booked, Ewing said.

The duo also wants to offer evening sessions to families who don't go to the preschools. They are willing to do birthday parties and any other venues, Ewing said.

``We have 52 theme ideas, and we're taking them one (storage) bin at a time,'' Ewing said.

1. Why the initial interest in starting this program?

Ewing: We are both preschool teachers, and we had a meeting at the school one day with a representative at ABC School Supplies who was marketing these literacy bags, which include stories, puppets and teaching tips, and we realized we could put that same idea together for a lot less.

2. How did you determine that this program would be of interest to both parents and children?

Ewing: We knew from our years teaching at the preschool.

You learn what things they find funny. And then we throw in humor for the parents as well.

3. When you first started, what worried you the most about the program's success?

Simmons: (Trish) was stressed about selling our program to adults. But every call we made, we were very well-received. It's gone very well.

4. Do you think Northeast Ohio is a good place to start a children's program?

Simmons: Oh absolutely. Everybody I've talked to at a dessert (club) I'm in, all the women have said ``Oh, we really need that.''

Ewing: Chuck E. Cheese's and all those are inappropriate for real little kids. For the preschool set, it's just a great venue for them.

5. Is there anything you would like to see in place in Northeast Ohio to help other people or institutions start up similar programs?

Ewing: Ultimately, I would like to see a show and tell in every Barnes & Noble in Northeast Ohio.

We would like to franchise out and eventually when we have enough shows written, to sell them.

It's a lot of fun for anyone in theater or teachers.

6. Do you have a mentor?

Ewing: Not exactly a mentor, but I had some great teachers in college.

I had a great music teacher at (Kent State University). I had some really great teachers in college, who I didn't realize were such an inspiration until now.

7. Has it taught you anything?

Simmons: It's shown me how much I can accomplish. I never thought I could dream something up and make it happen.

I pulled out this huge three-ring binder full of craft and birthday party ideas and came in with all this stuff. I realized I've been preparing for this forever.

We realized we were destined to be in this position, but we never knew it before.

8. What makes your program unique?

Ewing: It's completely original. Even though we use classic finger plays, it's our own voice, our own jokes and our imaginations that make it unique.

We learn the music; we play it ourselves. Yes, it might be someone else's song, but we create the harmonies.

9. Do you plan on expanding your program at all?

Ewing:We think if we keep working hard and coming up with ideas, we can take it as far as we want.

10. Has this program given you any surprises?

Simmons: I'm surprised at how much the kids really understand. Kids are usually really afraid of strangers or grownups, but they come up and start dancing around and singing.

Ewing: The surprise is how well-received we've been. How fast it's grown.