Willy Wonka Cast Party

Saturday between shows, they were going to have a cast picnic on the playground. It started to rain. Pump It Up saved the cast party. They let us have the party there and it worked out perfect! The kids had the best time and we were all in air conditioning!!!

Willy Wonka, Jr

I finally got to see Mana in Willy Wonka, Jr. It was the 3rd show. The hubby and I decided on going to two shows only. I usually go crazy and attend as many as the shows as I possible can. That gets expensive quickly. It was wonderful. Everyone in the cast did a great job! Mana was perfect for the part of Grandma Josephina! She was a good Oompa Loompa also! She has had so much fun during the whole process of this musical. Mana made a lot of new friends. Everyone got along like they knew each other for years! Mr. Brad, the director, made it a fun atmosphere to learn in. I can not wait to see the show for my second time!!

Grandma JosephinaMy Oompa LoompaThe Whole Cast

Fun in the Rain

Today was a wonderful and fun day! Mana started rehearsals for Willy Wonka the other day. Today was the day she would practice her main part. She got the part of Grandma Josephina and an Oompa Loompa. She is so excited about it. She is having a lot of fun! The director interacts with the children in a positive and fun way. He is not your typical musical theatre director. After rehearsals today, he even sat down to eat with the kids and talked to them and then played on the playground with them. All the kids just love him.

After we got home, we went over to my friend Sherry's house. It started to rain and the kids wanted to go out and play in it. So we let them. I did not have any extra clothes in the car for Mana so she had to borrow some from Sherry. She looked really cute in the oversized clothes.

The 2010 Showcase

For the kids, the day of the showcase usually starts at 8:45 am and ends at 10:30 pm. A VERY LONG DAY!! They gave the kiddos a break this year and they did not have to be there until 11:30 am. We about did not know what to do with ourselves all morning, but we managed!! For me the day, started off with me being distracted and pulled several different ways. By the time for Showcase to start I was overwhelmed and exhausted. My sister called and told me that Grandma was now on continuous care through Hospice. I was worried about what I was going to do with the dog all weekend while I was out of town and two adults got in a rude behavior fight at Milo's during my lunch. I just needed a break!! I finally got into the church where the Showcase was held and sat down for the break I needed to enjoy the show!! I waited and watched all the classes come and go off stage patiently waiting to see my sweet girl perform. The grandparents kept looking at me like is this her class. (All the kids had on the Showcase black t-shirt so they all looked alike and they were not calling out the class names like the years before.) Three fourth through the show, Mana's group finally got to perform all four of their numbers right after each other. Usually they are all spread out. They did great!! Very proud of my girlie!! Grandparents left right after the show. Brian and I went to find Mana. She is to sit in her seat until I come get her, but she forgot and sat down on the stage where I could not find her. Some people where standing in front of her. I looked all over that church for her. Around 25 minutes. I had a huge lump form in my throat. By the time I found the director (which we are not to speak to) and he told me she was on the stage steps, I was in tears. I could not even talk to her when I walked up to her. I am still kicking myself for that one. On the trip home, all the emotions came out and we were fine by the time we drove into the driveway. I was so glad the day was over!! I know that she will not forget next year, but I will remind her anyway before I drop her off!!

They sang "I have a dream" and then
told what they dreamed of.
Mana said she wanted to be on Broadway
and give all the money she made to the poor.
"Green Eggs and Ham" songZumba"The Whole Group"
365 Kids all left the stage at the
same time and parents started to the stage.
See why I was so upset!!!

80s Day at Workshop!!

80s Day was fun to put together an outfit for!! Needless to say, it was hard to brush all those tangles out of her hair at the end of the day!! She asked me if we really wore our hair like that and I had to say yes. She just laughed!!

Workshop

Drama Workshop was a blast for Mana these past two weeks!!! She had the best time! She said that this was the best year yet!! They have themed days almost every day. She only got to participate in a few since it is hard to get things together at the last minute. They gave us a list for the first week but not for the second. Plus some of the days we were so rushed getting out the door that I forgot to take a picture of her. I know, I know, NOT ME!! I hear you all gasping out there!! LOL! Here are some from hat day. They had to see who could come up with the most creative but cheapest hat... She had fun making it! By the end of the day, there were no more bubbles left on the bubble wrap!!

A busy summer!

I am so glad that school is out for my up and coming 5th grader!!! It is going to be a busy and fun summer! My daughter is back in ballet now. She took a year off to take Acting and Musical Theatre Dance. She missed ballet and when we visited the older girls' class she was sad. The director and ballet instructor decided to include her in this year's performance as the Royal Kitty Cat. She was a great RKC!! She has played cats and dogs at home since she was little bitty! Anyway, she has ballet two days a week now. She loves it but was overwhelmed, since missing a year! She has a lot of hard work ahead of her.

She auditioned for Willy Wonka Jr. this morning! I think she did well. We will find out in a week if she got a part! Rehearsals will take up most of July for her. She met a new friend today at the park. She was auditioning also. It was like they had been friends forever.

Youth Musical Theatre Workshop starts this week and continues through next weekend. She always enjoys this workshop. This will be her third year attending. They always have auditions for their year round performance groups the Saturday in the middle of the workshop. She got into two musicals last year, but did not make the performance group. Hopefully, she will have better luck this year!!!

Mana was going to audition for Jungle Book Kids, but we decided against this one since she can not do it all. A lot of shows and workshops overlap making it hard to decide which one is the best to audition for or attend.

She is also taking voice lessons. Suessical Jr. is also coming up this next school year! Wow! This Musical Theatre career path of hers sure does make for a very busy schedule!!! A few people look at me like I have lost my mind when it comes to all the things she does. They do not understand. In musical theatre they want a triple thread, one who can dance, sing and act! That means lots of lessons to be able to compete for the part! It keeps us busy, but she enjoys it! I can see why she does. She is good at it. I just do not have a clue where she gets it from. Definitely NOT me! I could not get up in front of all those people and say anything, much less sing and dance! I admire her for that! For those of you that might suggest that I am pushing her into this, that would be a huge NO! I would whether be doing other things then driving all over town for auditions, and rehearsals! It all stresses me out! She is not stressed, I am, and I am not even the one auditioning! If anything, I will be the reason she doesn't go for an audition! What you do for your kids!!