Waiting for the Curtain
It’s that time of year again, that finds me on the sidelines of the high school musical, watching what’s going on, trying to be sure Katie has what she needs and that I do what I can from my vantage point to help with this huge endeavor. And I am, once again, so glad Katie has this experience.
I have seen things start to shape up on the stage and off and I am so impressed with the amount of work people are putting into this event. It’s so cool to see so many teachers and students working together to make it happen.
The shop teachers and their students are hard at work building all of the sets. And since they’re doing “Phantom of the Opera” this year, that’s no small job! There is a HUGE staircase built already, and big balconies on the edges of the stage as well. It’s great for our production to have such well-built sets, and I am sure it’s good for the students in shop to have the experience of building something to order for a “customer.”
We had a meeting the other day with the teacher who has, once again, taken on the huge task of organizing ticket sales for the event. This is no small job as she will spend countless hours sitting in the lobby selling tickets.
And the pit band is hard at work on the music. They are truly the unsung heroes of the show. They sit, mostly unseen, in the orchestra pit and make the show happen. They are at every rehearsal when the other performers are on the stage in addition to the many hours they spend working on the music beforehand. And I love that they are a mixture of high school students and adults from the school system.
Did I mention the directors? I have no idea how many total hours they spend working on this show. I only know that they are at school doing their regular jobs teaching all day and then work into the evening for months on end. They truly go that extra mile for our kids. I am sure they miss out on way more family time than I’d be willing to in order to make this happen every year.
And then there are the kids who make the characters come to life. They give so much of their time to the task. This is a great bunch of teens. When I have had the opportunity to be in their midst I have been so impressed with them. They are a lively, creative, polite, and very talented bunch.
I really can’t wait to see this show. And I am sure there are similar scenes playing out all over the county right now. If you haven’t already made plans to see this show or the one at your local high school, I’d encourage you to do so. Let’s celebrate teens working hard on something so positive!
Nothing builds confidence in high school more than performing or working in drama. One can still remember dialogue and setting long after the last curtain has closed. Performing, directing, stage and property acquisition help a student in ways hardly dreamed of before beginning bring the production to fruition.
It’s been a great experience for Katie. Can’t wait for the show.
We await opening night with great anticipation, more than anything I can remember. I am so thankful that Drew decided to give this a try.
I happened to be assisting Elise last night while she took pictures of the dress rehearsal. I’m glad Drew gave this a try, too, because he did a great job. The kid has talent! I can’t wait to see the show with a packed house. I imagine the kids will be even better when they’re feeding off the energy of a big crowd. You must be so proud!
Thanks Karen and yes I am proud of him. He is really having a ball. I know the same is true of Katie and I look forward to her performance. Going all three days will give me a better chance to soak it all in.
Katie’s not in the play this year. It’s been less expensive for us with no costumes to make and ads to buy and dinners to donate for. And I’ve been a lot less busy with no dinners to organize and no costumes to make and alter. But I have to admit I miss it!
When Katie was in the show, I had to go all three performances, too. I couldn’t imagine missing a minute of it. I can’t imagine if she were a lead like Drew.
Enjoy every minute!