Seussical the Musical

Life in our house is always full of drama....and dance....and song....and just plain drama.  After all, any of you with girls in the house over the age of 10 know that raising girls comes with a little drama. However, in our house we have drama of the fun and musical variety too, because Hannah is a theater geek. YAY. I am totally living vicariously through my daughter. See many moons ago in a highschool in the middle of Farmertown, USA, a teenage me also discovered the love of theater. I will never forget how it began. Our Middle School had been invited to an afternoon production of the High School Musical, "Funny Girl".  We all went because we had to and didn't care what the reason or the result as long as we were missing classwork. I'd done a skit from Hamlet in 3rd or 4th grade or was it Macbeth? I was a witch - it was the one with "out damned spot" and it was required for English class. So I was ambivalent about this whole outing, but getting out of a math class makes everything just a teensy bit better.

Well, the girl who had the lead was really great and could really sing. I remember being mesmerized. I could not wait to be in highschool and star in their next production. Funny me, that I thought it was all that easy. I signed up to take drama as an English class, plus I was in the Drama club and was first in line for auditions. The play was Our Town. It wasn't a musical but I landed a part. I very tiny part with one line but I was in. The musical was "How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying". This was the tricky part...the singing. I love to sing and can sing well, but singing on a stage with people watching and not in the privacy of my room with my hairbrush microphone was something altogether different and horrifying. I sucked. So, I was cast into the the chorus without lines and yearning to be more and do more. It wasn't until my Senior year that Godspell was the play and I wanted the part of Sonja more than anything. Trouble was twofold. One I still had horrible stage fright and two, Sonja's song "Turn Back O Man!" was a belty Alto 2 - I sang an ethereal Soprano I. My chorus director, who was also the play's director advised me against trying to transition. Still, I loved the part and the song and the truth was the only Soprano I part was going to go to Marialena. She and I both sang well, but she would edge me out head to head and I knew it, so the best bet was to try and train my voice down.

I practiced for days. Singing the song over and over to the frustration and aggravation of my whole family, but it worked. I could belt the heck out of it and it was good. Still that whole stage fright thing was lurking. The audition day came and I stood center stage as the director and co-director stood below chatting. I could hear him discussing his concern for my vocal range and ability to pull off this audition selection which did nothing for my knocking knees. The music began and I croaked, "Turn Back"  -- Damn nerves go away - I thought. "Oh Man" -- another crack - crap C'mon girl you got this push those nerves out of your voice.  All the while, the director is shaking his head as if to say "See I told you." and is jotting notes like "she sucks" on his notepad. When out of my body comes "FORESWEAR THY FOOLISH WAYS!"  with all the verbrato and control - so much so that the walls shook with the echo and the director dropped his clipboard and stared jaw agape. I continued flawlessly and got the part. I also had a blast and went onto major in Drama in college. My love of drama continues despite my life taking me in directions far from Broadway or Hollywood.  (Picture - me in the red)

Still, Hannah started theater at camp several years ago, and continues to develop her acting skills and her vocal abilities. It just makes me so proud. This year they did Seussical and Hannah's part was Mrs Mayor. She rocked and although a tad disappointed that she didn't have a bigger part, since this is her last year as a camper, she still did a stellar job. She had a great lesson too in the realities of life. Sometimes, you don't get what you want but you still have to work as a team to complete a job. Theater is a great equalizer. It has taught her grace and compassion and tolerance, not to mention timing, musicality and teamwork. And good old mom can cheer her on while  having fun reliving the good old days watching her. Will she be the next young star on TV or movies or Broadway? Who knows? Even if it is just school and camp fun, it will be some of the greatest memories ever. (Pictures - she in the red)

Getting my butt in gear

I am attempting to write more in my blog. Not that my interesting life is all that interesting, but simply because I am a writer and I need to work at my art more diligently. The thing is there is this book - well really two books. One is a children's book that is rhyming and sweet and about Hanukkah and has been completed since my daughter was two. My son did some of the illustrations and I am waiting for the rest of the illustrations. He assures me I'll have them soon. I'm nagging him this time.

The second book is more serious and more important and more difficult by far. It was started 10 years ago. Quick synopsis. I had a chat with a work friend about God. He was ambiguous about God and faith. I told him to look at his life and find all the miracles. He was going to work on it over Christmas. Shortly thereafter, on a day fraught with awfulness beyond description at my loathsome job, I was crying on my way home from work. In my car, I called out to God to help me get out of that godforsaken place and He told me to write the book on miracles. I came home and sat at my computer and typed for hours and had 128 pages and it was good, but not so great grammatically so I edited it. I edited it so well that all the passion and fervor and wonderfulness was edited away completely, but the grammar was spot on. UGH. So, I have tried and tried for ten years to fix and put back what I took out. So, now on version number four I'm praying on it alot and working it through without over working it and it is coming along slowly. I am determined to publish it soon though.

So, in the meantime, in my spare time, typed while laughing hyena like at the thought of any "spare" time ever, I thought I could hone my skill a bit in my blog. To that end, I want to try and post at least one time a week instead of one time a month. Let's see how that goes. So far I've posted 3 times recently so I'm making strides. Mind you I have a couple blogs too. This though is my favorite. My family is my precious commodity and I love having this venue to share whats new with us.

It is so much more fun than other social media where you get a snippet of whats new or droll and boring updates about potty training, parties, or traffic. I don't pretend our lives are so interesting that our every bowel movement should be broadcast for the world to see. In fact, that uber voyeuristic glimpse into the lives of people I don't know all that well is a little creepy sometimes. I always feel that a blog gives me an outlet for expression but gives people a choice as to weather they want to read it or care about it. And my family can see what's up and friends too and now I can share it on FB too. Weird world we live in that much is sure.

Well, back to work. I have a lot to do and it will be day over before I know it. Happens every day. Where does time go??

Camp, Dance, Drama - repeat

The joy of summer at my house is summer camp. Hannah has already settled nicely into her last year of camp at the JCC Camp, as a camp. The camp isn't far from home, but she loves it. This wonderful camp full of crazy fun features so many activities I cannot imagine how I settled for Girl Scout camp's cedar lake and bug juice for 4 weeks each summer. JCC Camp has a high ropes course, several pools, a cedar lake with big blow up slides and trampolines in the middle of it, every sports court imaginable, rock climbing, mini golf, GAGA courts, a sledding course (carpet, high ramp, inner tubes, and water), and a theater program. Plus, you can do computer art, wheel ceramics, cooking, science, nature studies, mosiacs, leather, wearable art, and woodworking. That is only a handful of the fun available. This day camp packs a lot of fun into your tuition buck, that much is for sure.

This is Hannah's last year as a camper and her friends are many. She immersed herself in drama a few years back and each year the camp kicks out a production in about 3 weeks. Camp started on the 21st production is July 16th. This year it's Suessical. Hannah is Mrs. Mayor.

She has taken an interest in theater and music and dance that makes my heart leap in delight. I was a drama geek in High School and college. I never pursued it beyond local theater. Reasons abound but lack of moral support really was my deal breaker. I never oozed self confidence as a kid. So, I love being able to support and cheer Hannah on in her pursuits. And pursuits she has many this year.

Not only 2 plays at camp, but she is prepping a dance number for her Silver Award in Girl Scouts that will also be her solo number for competitions this year. Can you believe a girl with only 1 year of dance under her belt is gearing up to compete as a solo artist? She is amazing to me.

 Her first show at camp as an Oompa Loompa in Willie Wonka

 As a Hot Box Girl in Guys and Dolls 2012

 As one of the girls singing and dancing in Fiddler on the Roof

 As a Chesire Cat in Alice In Wonderland

 Pajama Day at Camp helping with the younger kids.

Every year the second show is all musical numbers Hannah is standing just right of the mic stand.

Last year she was Lady Larkin in Once Upon a Mattress. And she was the General in Guys and Dolls in her Middle School production. A star is born!!