The greatest Fiddler photo in the history of high school theater

How fun is that, I ask you. Just the right facial expressions — and the ghost of Fruma-Sarah is rocking the demonic, red eyes. Hahahaha

Awesome picture, taken by our fiend and occasional RtB commenter, Wendell.

Today marks the final performance of our show. I could almost – almost – be persuaded to extend the run for another week. Um…almost.

I struggle to find the words to accurately describe the pride that Stoney, Greg and I feel when these kids pull off good singing, professional backstage work, and truly remarkable dramatic performances. All this from a high school with only 250 students, grades 9-12, where most of the kids are involved in 20 other things besides theater. I’m telling you, fiends — if it can be done here, it can be done anywhere.

Again, I marvel at how these kids can do everything they do (sports, theater, after-school band, Academic Challenge, FFA, part-time jobs, church work) AND manage to keep up their grades and get all the piles of homework done that seem to pool into great huge oceans during tech week. Honestly — I don’t think I could have done it when I was their age.

But pull it off they did. Two excellent performances yesterday, with the finale today. Off I go…gotta pick up the delicious pastries for their breakfast. Another thing high school students can do like no other: eat.

Happy Sumday, luvs — after more coffee, it’s off to the theater one last time.

FO

It’s almost here. Showtime/Gotime!

Last rehearsal tonight, before opening on Saturday. Maybe a pick-up rehearsal tomorrow…we won’t know until 10 p.m.

Just checking in on my fiends, making sure you know what tomorrow is. YAY! TGIFinkday.

All right, I must fly. Yes, I’m going in to school late this morning — it’s parent/teacher conference weekend, and we all got to sleep in a bit, since conferences go until 7:30 tonight. I won’t be there, but…yeah.

Have a goody!

Aaaaand we’re off to the circus.

Production week has arrived, and poop gets real. Welcome, butterflies. Welcome, insanity. Welcome, Subway with Stoney every night.

Yesterday was a total thumbs-up. Had a great rehearsal with my pit orchestra, then got to spend some fun quality time with Lars and the Fabulous Mr. A., who ran the square footage of my main floor and ate granola and played with toys like it was his job. Adorable child.

Only thing missing was the Js, but hopefully we can score a visit with them this coming Friday night — the only night I have “off” until next Monday.

OK, enough about me, me, me. So, what do you think about me?

Kidding. I gotta git. Production week waits for no rat. Hugs to you, my fiends.

J’aime le théâtre!

I don’t think I’ve gone five days without a post in the entire almost-six years we’ve been together, you and I.

You can be sure that when I go this long without writing, something else really huge is horning in. Of course, that would be Fiddler on the Roof. It was a week of uncertainty and disappointment, ended yesterday by hope and enthusiasm, on the part of both the actors and the directors. Huzzah. They might be pulling something together here.

Truth be told, I’d rather just stay home, watch the Browns, and visit with the grandsons, but there is much to do yet before I crash early tonight. Orchestra rehearsal at school, cooking for the week of late-night rehearsals, entering grades, reading six Beethoven essays, getting the program ready to go to print, doing last-minute stuff before opening next Saturday…it never ends.

But I’m doing all these tasks with a renewed sense of encouragement. We may all survive this yet…

Happy Sunday! I’ve missed you.

I think this needs to be my profile picture for a while.

…that school choirs are a “luxury” — something that many school districts are pulling out in favor of piling on more academic courses so we can beat Japan. I mean Finland. I mean China.

This article has made the rounds lately, and I’m glad. I’ve always held the belief that school choir (although church choirs are definitely not excluded in this study) provides my otherwise stressed-out students with just a few moments of joy in their day. The “three Rs” people don’t seem to get that a child’s brain is also attached to a soul; that more than one process must be practiced and honed in order to educate the “whole child.” Things like art, music, PE and other “non-academic” electives fill that void. It’s just that nowadays, people who know the least are having the most influence on how even those subjects are taught — or if they’re taught.

Strange days.

But back to the article. Interesting research, and fun to read. Something that actually “proves” the value of singing with others: how about that?

I especially loved the first comment (the one about Congress…haha).

Are we having a good morning? Or is it too early to tell? B here, unfortunately. At least the wheels didn’t fall off at rehearsal last night.

But hey, there’s always tonight…

FO