Time Flies

Busy Day

I stayed after school to listen to a speed through of my play, mostly to hear how the revision of the ending worked. I think it's going to be really good. I actually liked how some of the lines/parts wove into each other and I'm hopeful it will make the drama even more effective. The students were not quite set with their lines, so that was a bit worrisome, but the rehearsal schedule between now and Thursday morning is pretty intense, so I am sure they will be on the money. It is kind of strange, but when I hear the play read, I am always a little surprised. Did I actually write that? Not bad.

Got home, fed the Boys, did some work on stripping Tucker's stall--all three need it as the Boys have been leaving lots of hay which has now become bedding and it needs tending. With all the rain, neither the wheelbarrow or tractor were of much use for a thorough cleaning so I've left things to the weekend. The Boys do not spend a lot of time in the stalls, but they do manage to make them messy now and then. With all the wet around, I have tons of soggy hay to clean up all over the place and in the stalls is a good place to start. So I did.

But, it was Freshman Showcase at school in the theater program and at least six of my students were performing, and off I went back to school for the 7 PM show. "Time Flies" was actually the title of the first little play and it was a very funny comedy about...well, flies. I won't take the time to describe it, but it featured four of my kids and I have to admit, I laughed myself to tears with their performances.

The ready to graduate Seniors were the architects of the performances. They did the choosing, planning casting, directing and overall production of each little play. This was their final exam for class. I am most proud to say that they have all been accepted into good universities in very competititive theater arts programs. One girl has a full scholarship. One is accepted into California School of the Arts, one of the top ten programs in the US, and another was accepted into Mason Gross, the number three school in the nation. This is darn impressive and proves the excellence of the performing arts training they have received in our school. Maria Aladren, their teacher is and amazing mentor for these kids.

Tomorrow is an all day technical/production day for my play, so I will go in to school for at least part of the day. However, I did manage to write myself out of the play. That means that since I am not acting, I do not have to be there for every moment of rehearsals. Clever me. It also will allow me to teach my classes next week instead of spending every day in the theatre getting the show up. I will be able to go down on my free periods to help out and still run an orderly class the other five periods of the day. The performances are scheduled for 10 AM during my hall duty and now classless period, allowing me to be there without messing up my own teaching schedule too much. (It might be affected if there is a discussion period after the performance, though, since I, as author, really do need to be there.) It will all work out somehow.

It finally stopped raining, though. I managed to miss a window of opportunity to do something horsey beyond working on that stall, but I really didn't have any time. The weekend looks to be dry and windy so that will dry things out and I do have to mow the lawn before I will not be able to find my house behind the grass.

Right now, the play is a priority, and I'll just have to see how it goes.