So we had a raccoon this week who seemed to have a real problem with foot-ware. Every time we turned around she would take off her shoes and socks. One time she took off her trainers (tennis shoes is the popular term in these parts) and she was chewing on the laces (gross!). Well today she and her slightly older sister were wearing matching pink slip ons. Well, surprise surprise, we're getting everyone into costume and there's little raccoon child, sans shoes with her sock half pulled off. Apparently she has a problem with socks. So Sam asked her "Are you going to wear your socks or not?" She decided not too, but her sister interjected "Oh no! You're going to get athlete's foot!" This little girl is five. I seriously doubt that she is in danger of an athlete's foot break out.
The dress rehearsal was perfect but the most boring thing ever. It went incredibly smoothly but the energy level was a total snooze. Then the first performance was full of blips that had never ever happened in rehearsal. I think the problem was that the show suddenly got really REALLY good on Friday afternoon and if that had been dress rehearsal we would have been solid at the first show. Unfortunately it wasn't, so dress rehearsal was like beating a dead horse and all of the sudden they got energy again from having an audience and started forgetting themselves.
Well the DEFINITELY got the kinks out at the second performance. I am SOOO glad that this week is on DVD and that I will be getting a copy of it! I can't even begin to express how proud I am of them.
Plus our fabulous lead's parents took us out pizza hut between shows. My only complaint; I barely got any of the pan pizza, my nostalgic pizza-hut favorite (I ended up with hand-tossed and thin-crust: totally inferior). But I did get a lot of those over seasoned super greasy bread-sticks. Mmmm.
I really hope the kids I nominated this week get to go to performing arts camp in Missoula next summer. These kids, our here in the middle of nowhere who are so talented and so lovely to work with are the exact kind of kids that would benefit from such an experience. I mean our Red Riding Hood who is RIDICULOUSLY talented and only eleven has never ever seen a play, let alone been in one until three years ago when she played a guard in Missoula's "Robin Hood". (I could NOT believe that- I mean this girl is outrageous; I actually think she could be a child in a Broadway show like, right now) Plus the people here are so nice! They got us these giant gift bags with balloons and all kinds of beautiful gifts, that I will treasure displaying in my future apartment. And one of them is, yes, my first thank you gift of a religious nature. It's one of those metal plant hooks and it has a beautiful crucifix that says something very sweet that I can't remember right now that hangs from it.
The biggest disaster with the second show was, well, all on me actually! I left my grandma costume in the lobby. I had been selling t-shirts and CDs after the first show and TOTALLY FORGOT to bring it backstage. Well it's the scene where I dress up as grandma and I run backstage to change and my costume isn't there. I run around like a maniac ad-libbing all the while and realize the costume is in the hall. I tell Sam that's where it is, look at the girl playing grandma, point at her and very seriously say "take it off!" So she takes off her costume, I put it on, go out on stage and one the staff girls from the Rec. Department goes sprinting out the back door, around the building, gets what is supposed to be MY grandma costume and dresses grandma in it. The whole thing was madness, but everybody's energy level for the end of the show was definitely up. And you know what? The audience didn't really notice. Well it's a great story, but I am never going to that again!
Also I was trying to encourage the raccoons to really sing and dance during their "Raccoon's Rule" song and on the last part where they say "Wash those hands" three times, getting louder each times I said "Louder!" after the first one and instead of selling "Even Louder!" or "Yell it!" after the second one I screamed "Get it!". I am not sure the six year olds really knew what to make of that. The things that come out of your mouth during this job are just hilarious. One time, a few weeks back, I told the kids that backstage they needed to "Tip-toe like...fairies."
Tomorrow we head for Nebraska, to a town that's been bringing Missoula in for the 14th time. Yup. Pretty excited about it too, since I've heard that it's pretty much one of the most awesome residencies ever. It looks like the end of my summer tour should be pretty swell.
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