Bart, who was the singing voice of young Hercules in the 1997 Disney animated film, shared his insights on the rigors of acting and also performed a song for the fifth- and sixth-grade students, "Proud of Your Boy," that he used to help him get the role.

"I loved team sports and always felt that theater was such a fun way to be part of the team," Bart said.

Bart, 54, co-starred in the Broadway musical "Disaster" and received Tony nominations for "The Producers" and "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," for which he won the 1999 Tony for best featured actor in a musical.

He's also appeared in movies and television shows, such as "Desperate Housewives."

Bart, who grew up in Bernardsville, has some local ties. While at Rutgers University, Bart spent time with Norwood School Superintendent Lisa Gross when they both were interested in acting.

Bart shared an insider's view of life in the acting world with an emphasis on getting in touch with the make-believe and imagination.

"Pretty much what I did was the same things you guys did," he said, of going into the world of make-believe during childhood.

"Big River," which includes the stories of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, was the first musical he was in age 22 or 23, Bart said.

"I played Tom Sawyer," Bart said. "It was really fun and I loved it."

Fifth-grader Sophia Ashbahian said she gained some courage from listening to Bart and was encouraged to "go out there and just try."

"He inspired me to have a little bit more of courage while auditioning," Ashbahian said.

"I recognize his voice from Hercules," sixth-grader Luke Brossard said. "He was really open to the kids, he taught us things we could understand."

Bart also spoke to seventh- and eighth-grade students later in the day.

Email:lightdale@northjersey.com