Sixth-grade politics: Sweet and lowdown in gentle play at Capital Fringe

Dirty tricks start early in politics -- very early in "The Inaugural Election for President of Mrs. Jacobson's Sixth Grade Class," a windily titled Fringe show that is as innocent as it sounds. Yes, there are betrayals and backstabbing. But things can get only so venal in a plot that starts with the death of a classroom hamster, a tragedy that inspires an election. The goal: to teach the students something about individual responsibility and the democratic process.