Our almost 2 months of living in da ëHood has come to a close.
Show Week always kicks my butt.† Keilee loves it, I am usually praying I survive by the end of the week.
Everything came together really well.† All the kids did a great job.† This was a fun play but a bit stressful at times.† Thank you again Esther for taking great pictures of the actual play.† Pictures from the side of the stage aren’t the best.
Keileeís role was the Sheriff of Nottinhamís wife.† She was a groveling social climber who tried very hard to impress the villain of the play; Lady Merle.† Kei’s character kept saying things in French but they were never the right words for what she was referring to.† It was quite hysterical.† Keilee played her quite well.† I got so many compliments on the job she did from friends and strangers alike.† That is always nice considering how hard she always works on her characters.† You can always see the passion Kei has for plays shining through on her face.† In a funny twist of casting she was married to the same guy who shunned her for being too silly in ìPrincess and the Peaî.† We all cracked up about that.
We had long nights spent at the theater.† I worked backstage with 2 of my best friends and we had a blast as usual.† Although I had to shush them a few times.† They got louder than the kids at times.† It wasnít me! Really it wasnít.† 😉
The last show got a little out of hand.† It is tradition for the kids to shake it up a little in the final show.† Do 1 or 2 unexpected things.† Well this show they went crazy.† We all just stood backstage with our mouths opened.† I heard afterwards that some of the audience was not very happy with it.† They were just kids being silly and like most kids when they got laughter from what they did, they fed on it and became even more over the top.
Our homeschool friends all did wonderfully too.† Ben and Austin were great Merry Men and they even wore TIGHTS!† Brit was a great wife of one of the Merry Men.† She and the boys sang and danced their way all thru Sherwood Forest and beyond.† Chan was awesome as the old widow.† Her posture and voice was dead on.† Jake played King Richard and he looked very kingly in his outfit.† He also was ëthe Strangerí in a couple of scenes complete with a mask.† The mask he used, which was his own, was a Plague Doctor which was awesome!† Only a homeschooler would be so cool ;)† †Emily got the role of Friar Tuck and she rocked it!† She has the perfect voice for it.
Kei’s favorite shots from her iPhone.
I plan to do nothing in July.† Although when I put up our new calendar yesterday it was already almost full.† The difference is most of those things are things we CAN do, not things we HAVE to do.
We are hoping for cooler weatherÖlike in the 90ís.† These days of 100∞+ are killing us and everything that grows!
Hereís to a calm, relaxing week.† I am off to catch up on all you in blogger land and see what kinds of fun things YOU have all been up to. 🙂
Homeschooling Rocks!
Karen
†ìAll the best performers bring to their role something more, something different than what the author put on paper. That’s what makes theatre live. That’s why it persists.î ~Stephen Sondheim
So much fun for Kei. I believe that she enjoyed every minute of it, as tiring as it might have been.
I recently heard a quote (maybe from catching part of Anthony’s tour watching? – I’m not sure) that was, “Sometimes it’s fun to suffer.” I really agree with that. Sometimes it’s fun to stretch yourself and do something that is challenging and tiring for the sheer joy of the experience or of knowing that you were able to do it.
Not that Kei was suffering at all. Or, if she was (because she was tired or what have you), it was overwhelmed by the enjoyment, which is part of what the quote means to me.
Perhaps, though, it applies more to you than to her, because it sounds like you were very aware of your suffering, but enjoyed it anyway. 🙂
Everytime Kei does a play, I feel these different emotions. First, I feel such joy, coming from you and Kei, from the photos you show, and from the words you write. Even when there are stressful moments, the palpable feeling I get, just singing out like the tapped note of a bell, is the joy. That’s beautiful!
I also feel a whole lot of happiness of my own, and some pride too, to think I know you both, and am a little part of your lives, so that as Kei progresses as an actor and realised all these amazing dreams, I can say over the years, “Look at this extraordinary young woman. She is my FRIEND.” That’s incredibly special and I am thankful for that.
Finally, I can’t help it: I feel just a bit too, too far away! I want a magic transporter that takes me to Alabama every time a show is on. So I can stand there beaming in the audience. Or work with you backstage and help you shush those mamas. And give big bear hugs to you both. That would be Perfect.
Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful life here, Karen. I’m so glad to know you both. Can’t wait to hear about your not-busy-at-all July! 🙂
Sounds awesome, and TIRING! Take a well-deserved break!
Have a great 4th 😀
You definitely deserve a month off! Hope you get to take it easy and get rested.
Kei looks beautiful! I can tell she had a great time:)
You rock! What a wonderful support you are to her as she pursues her passion.
Wow! Looks like so much fun! None of my kids haven’t been interested in auditioning for or even learning about the theatre! We’ve been to a few plays – my oldest went and saw Cathy Rigby in Peter Pan even – but were not very artsy around here. LOL Your girl CLEARLY loves it though! Wonderful! (And yes, click on the dinner and dessert names for the recipes…Monte Cristo sandwiches, cucumbers and strawberry lemonade bars were a hit…the other stuff not so much! LOL)
The performance looks wonderful in the pictures. Great costuming. Today we finally got a break in the temps because of a storm that whipped through last night giving us 2 inches of rain. Thank you Lord! Our garden needed it in a major way.
Blessings
Diane
What great photos! Kei’s smile and incredible expressions say it all–she loves what she does and it shows. 🙂 What a wonderful mom you are to encourage her and allow her to pursue her interests and dreams. (glad you survived the week, btw! lol)
I think taking a month off sounds good in theory, but I’m just guessing that you and your sweet girl will be off doing a hundred things anyway. 🙂
Great photos, and yes, you can tell she LOVES it.
She looks like she absolutely loves doing theater! I can’t wait to see what else she does through the years! 🙂