The Man who came to dinner.
It’s official. My teenage daughter has completed the Geek Trifecta: Choir Geek, Band Geek, Drama Geek. Now, around here, that’s not a bad thing at all, as it falls in the family tradition - I played piano, was in many renditions of choir, and also a drama geek. Nana was two of the three, though she didn’t play an instrument (unless we count playing Papa like a fiddle! badaDUM!).
Anyway, being in drama runs in the family, that’s all I’m sayin. And this weekend, The Girl officially took her place as the newest in a long line of Drama Queens, as the Cook Sarah, in The Man who came to dinner.
I saw the first and the third (final) shows, and was told I HAD to attend the last one, as in the show I missed, she flubbed one of her lines. The Drama Teacher Mrs. J didn’t even notice though, so I assured her it was fine, while telling her Drama Horror Stories of my own. (Cheaper by the Dozen. Act III. Two eerily similar lines. Said the second one first - thus skipping SIX PAGES of dialog. Calling one of the chars by a wrong name pales in comparison, don’tcha think? *L*)
The kiddos did a fine job showing off their acting chops. There were some shining stars, a couple of misses, but all in all it’s a very fun play that had us giggling and applauding throughout. When I asked one of my boys (Who played the lead, Sheridon Whiteside) how my daughter was as an actress, he said “Surprisingly good.” So I got him back after the first performance, and asked him WHEN he was gonna start acting, as all I saw in that rude ole boy was G. Ha!
As with any high school play - there were some missed cues, a couple of lighting mishaps, and a mishmash cross-section of High School Kids who had come together to create something they could - and should! - be proud of. There were geeks and jocks and cheerleaders/plastics and stoners and norms - and they all worked really hard over 8 weeks to make it all come together. I couldn’t have been prouder, even as I wished more folks had come out to support our kids and see the play.
Those of us who cared enough to go (multiple times in most cases!) however, made up for everyone who didn’t. There were flowers given, applause, and many accolades for our Drama Geeks - but we can always use more help.
Trust me on this one - if your local high school is putting on a show… go. You won’t be disappointed, and these young souls, the rising stars of tomorrow (or the Future Drama Geek Mama who couldn’t be prouder) deserve ALL the support we can give them!
November 24th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Lessa, I love hearing about your high school play. My daughter was big in theater and nothing gave us greater joy than watching the wonderful high school musicals and plays. I often marveled at the fact that a play is really just a moment in time -a passing moment in time. Energy, and talent and courage and grace all converge for a magical experience that is over too quickly, never to happen again…yet it can change lives and bring so much to all the kids that join in, from the crew to the curtain-puller to the shy kid who gets her first speaking part, to the leads. Such a wonderful experience for kids…and parents and communities. Great stuff!
November 24th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Me I did the choir and the band. Drama. I never made the cut. to nervous. didnt want to have to say thier lines…. No realy I couldnt picture them all nekid enough. LOL. anyway. I did the makeup or the curtains what ever they would let me k=do. it was fun….
wish I wouldnt have been so sick. But I am so proud of her.
I love you little one and am ever so proud of you! cant wait to see the next one.
auntie
November 24th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY forgets their lines from time to time. It feels like an eternity when you’re onstage but it pretty much never registers with the audience. I got a great piece of advice once: “Even when you forget a line, you still know the play way better than anyone in the audience.”