Kids in Theater, the Coolest Thing!

Kids theater is pretty much the coolest thing on this side of the planet.

Awhile ago I had a 5th grader at Sandburg Elementary and I looked around to find NO school play? I wondered why, and found out in the spring that a group called Studio East was putting on a show in connection with the PTA at the school.

So I wandered by the office, and before I knew it I had signed onto be one of the "Parent  Producers" of the show. I wondered what that would mean, and man oh man did I find out! This job is WONDERFUL and SCARY all at once. You are the mommie/PTA person who puts the pieces together. So many women have held my hand and hung lights with me, Christy Carter, Tammy Skiles etc... Lovely gals and man do they work hard!

The Studio brings us a director, musical director, and props. Off we went. We had the normal divas, theater nerds (two were my kids ), and the occasional football player that had an injury and auditioned for our show as a backup.

These kids are from 4th, 5th, 6th grades. They learn to sing, dance, and perform in a great musical. The confidence they gain is boundless. They meet all sorts of the student body. They all become really BF'S! It was so amazing to watch!

I have many many memories of walking the old school at Sandburg (recently completely rebuilt) listening to the singing of those darling kids. That old piano banging way, those girls singing their hearts out and the boys being brave and trying out singing in public.

Precious moments I will never forget!

So recently a mommie (Laura Lee Knickmeyer Squires) and I went over to Finn Hill Middle School and noticed again, they didn't have a school play! We had a super informative meeting with the great Victor Scarpelli, the principal there. He layed out how these kids are changing and growning and flapping their wings in so many different ways.

After many machinations, we came up with a show at Finn Hill! The Wiz was our first show! The middle school kids are so dedicated to the theater by this age. Some come and have NEVER done a show! It was super fun to watch them.  

Which brings me to the point of this blog today. We have another show at the Middle School this weekend! Bring your families, we would love it. The show is at Finn Hill Middle School is Pirates of the Curry Bean! It's at 7 p.m. on Nov. 16-17, with a matinee at 1 p.m. on Nov. 17.

In the end, if you can put your darling child in a show by the time they are 12 years old the bug will bite them or not! Because not every kid can hit a ball or score a goal. But a TON can sing and dance! Break a leg!!

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