I have this recurring dream before a show. It can be any
show…one I am in or directing. So, last week, the dream came to me again. In
the dream the curtain opens, and the cast looks great, but no one knows any
lines! In other words, there was no play! In the dream everyone looks at me
wondering what to do, and I have no idea.
Luckily this is just a dream, and somehow there is a show.
This past week I had the pleasure of directing a show for LCYC. This is my
tenth year working with them on summer productions. This year we had a record
number of 36 students coming to camp. My usual number is just 15 so it took a
lot of extra planning to make this happen for the students. Our youngest was
six and the oldest was seventeen. When we sat in our circle on the first day, I
just could not believe my eyes to have all these kids in one circle and
wondering, how in the world will we have a show???
The scripts are not handed out until the afternoon of the
first day. Auditions happen the second day. I tried to make it clear that the
auditions were for the “older actors,” but for some reason, everyone auditioned
for the show. The auditions took two full hours with several of the younger
actors needing help reading the script. We were patient. Everyone was patient. I
think the best thing that happened during this process was how the students all
respected each other, helped each other, and sat patiently for two hours
clapping for each one.
Actually, I was proud of all of the students for auditioning.
If you have never done this before, it is a scary thing to stand on a stage and
read lines knowing the directors are watching and listening carefully. For
children, this is scary also. Several of them told me their heart was racing,
and one of young actors came off the stage sobbing because it was so hard, and
he was so scared. I had to send him out with Asher, my high school helper.
Eventually he came back and was fine.
When we knew we had so many kids, I was able to hire to
other directors to help me out. Trine students, Allison and Muriel were so much
help along with all the other helpers. Jennifer Martin makes sure everything is
taken care of perfectly. She and others cooked for the students, and the
helpers, every single day. By the time lunch rolled around every day, we were
all really hungry!
Auditions are finally over, and I announce the cast. Muriel
and Allison split up the other young actors and take them to work on their
scripts for their show and many art projects!
By Tuesday we are ready to start rehearsing. We meet in our
circle, I welcome everyone back (and everyone did come back!), and then we
split into groups. The students all eat lunch together and then back to work. On
Wednesday we have a costume meeting, and everyone takes notes and helps each
other. No black shoes for one actor? No worry, someone has them! No jeans for
another? I got that covered at Goodwill. I also search my personal costume
department and fill Lola with costumes and props.
Friday is “No Script Friday.” Actually, most of my actors
had the whole show memorized by Thursday. How do they do it?? Friday night is
the show with 193 folks coming to watch. It was a great attendance, and they filled
the entire area.
During all of this, I have my lovely granddaughters with
me. Both of them are in the show. Our days are theatre, our evenings are
theatre as we run lines, our conversation is the show.
They were all wonderful on Friday night with a standing ovation.
Flowers. Autographs. Happy thespians. I did keep hearing, “Maggie, what’s our
next show?” I am addicted to this theatre, so I have already started working on
the next production.
I think, besides watching them work together, my favorite part
was having family all come to support the girls. Adam flew up from St. Pete,
Abe came from Charleston. Aaron and Rachel’s family came.
It is so critical that our schools, and our community
provide and showcase our young people in all of the arts. We know the arts
keeps kids in school so let’s keep it going!
No comments:
Post a Comment