A few months ago I came across a class called Musical Theater at The Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. It sounded right up her alley but Mike suggested I first tell her about it and see if she would be interested. The next morning, I told her about this class called Musical Theater and it is twelve weeks long and you go with other kids and learn a musical and perform it at the end. I could barely finish my sentence before she interrupted with, "I wonder what part I will play?"
So...I guess you're interested then?
I knew that it would be fun for her but it far exceeded my expectations.
Every week I dropped her off for one hour and left her in the capable hands of two women that deserve a special place in heaven for what they do. Miss Julia and Miss Diane wrote the original show and all the songs and taught it to 3 and 4 year olds! They were the most patient women and treated all the kids equally regardless of ability or talent. They just seemed to be filled with joy and they made it so much fun for the kids.
Not only did the kids perform the show, they also made most of their props and costumes. I really loved that aspect of the program because it gave them a chance to show their individuality and creativity in other ways. Some weeks they worked in the art room and made animal masks, cardboard pizzas, spacesuits out of duct tape, and rainbow streamers. Does that list of items make the plot of this show sound crazy or what? It was perfect for this age group.
The day of the show arrived and all her fans (Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Vicki, Oma, and us) were in the audience and so excited. Eloise was playing Carla, "the main character", as she put it, and she was not one bit nervous. She knew all of her own role and then seemed to be 'directing' the other kids as well. I saw a couple quick hand motions to the other kids telling them where to go and what to do. I know she was devastated when Lucas would not stand up at the right time or when Gray stepped on her line a little bit but the show must go on!
I just loved watching all the kids and their own interpretations of the words and the songs and the dances. I was very impressed. I'm not sure who got more joy out of this show, the performers or the audience. I think I was grinning from ear to ear the whole time.
We will definitely do this again next year for the 5-6 year old group. In fact, before we had even left the building, she was talking about what part she would have in the next show.
We headed home with our little star for an Afterglow Reception and that's where her dream day continued. After asking 100 times, she was finally allowed to set up a face painting booth and left her mark on all of her guests.
She was buzzing with excitement for days.
carla and her drum
duct tape space suit
with her teachers, in her deer mask
celebratory hot cocoa and applesauce cake
sign for booth
grandpa getting a snake
singing pizza planet
*
No comments:
Post a Comment