Attending the high school play this year, Beauty and the Beast, was a traumatic event because the children (!) involved in the production were the very same children whom I had co-directed in The Pirates of Penzance, Jr. and My Son Pinocchio only a few years ago.
And there they all were, nearly grown-up, with real acting skills and singing chops and costumes with real sets. It was simply heart-breaking.
Because I wasn't part of it. I was simply audience.
I really miss being involved in the school plays. The smells of the theater; the lights; the props; the weeks of preparation followed by the nerve-wracking Dress Rehearsal followed by the even more nerve-wracking Opening Night followed by the relaxing Post Opening Night followed by the Poignant Final Performance followed by the crazy Cast Party.
Followed by a wave of depression coming off of a very emotional experience.
Mary didn't get involved in the musical this year; she had enough fun in the Fall Play. I would've liked to have been involved in some way, but there was no need -- they had plenty of volunteers. And Mary was far too busy with more academic and artistic endeavors.
I did get a chance to congratulate some of the actors I knew. They had all grown up so much! The hardest part was remembering that it had been year since they had seen me or worked with me, and my time with them was so short, that it would be a miracle if they even remembered me. Some of them I had also worked with on the Robotics team, and that was gratifying because they still remembered me. The others looked at me with an odd expression on their face like, Now where have I seen him before?
Mary had lots of friends in the play, though, so she had fun telling them all how wonderful they were. And many of them remembered Cheryl from when she was helping with Band and Orchestra. So for them it was old home week.
When Mary graduates in May, that'll be the last opportunity to do anything with the high school groups for a while.
Life is going to be very weird next Fall.
And there they all were, nearly grown-up, with real acting skills and singing chops and costumes with real sets. It was simply heart-breaking.
Because I wasn't part of it. I was simply audience.
I really miss being involved in the school plays. The smells of the theater; the lights; the props; the weeks of preparation followed by the nerve-wracking Dress Rehearsal followed by the even more nerve-wracking Opening Night followed by the relaxing Post Opening Night followed by the Poignant Final Performance followed by the crazy Cast Party.
Followed by a wave of depression coming off of a very emotional experience.
Mary didn't get involved in the musical this year; she had enough fun in the Fall Play. I would've liked to have been involved in some way, but there was no need -- they had plenty of volunteers. And Mary was far too busy with more academic and artistic endeavors.
I did get a chance to congratulate some of the actors I knew. They had all grown up so much! The hardest part was remembering that it had been year since they had seen me or worked with me, and my time with them was so short, that it would be a miracle if they even remembered me. Some of them I had also worked with on the Robotics team, and that was gratifying because they still remembered me. The others looked at me with an odd expression on their face like, Now where have I seen him before?
Mary had lots of friends in the play, though, so she had fun telling them all how wonderful they were. And many of them remembered Cheryl from when she was helping with Band and Orchestra. So for them it was old home week.
When Mary graduates in May, that'll be the last opportunity to do anything with the high school groups for a while.
Life is going to be very weird next Fall.
1 comment:
Weird, indeed. But who has time for theater when there are jobs and major car repairs and house renovations?
Some day, dear brother, you can retire to write books and work in community theater. Or whatever you feel like doing. If yo don't wear yourself out first. <3
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