What have I been up to these past 5 weeks?
Not making paintings of guinea pigs, sadly. But hopefully there will be more time for that shortly. I’ve spent my days in a stifling hot middle school cafeteria working with an amazingly talented group of middle schoolers with the Stoneham Theatre Summer Program. Over the course of 5 weeks, the kids have 3 hours of rehearsal for a musical each morning, then two workshops after lunchtime.
The workshops I taught were Music Theory II and Auditioning for Musical Theatre. I was so nervous!! I’ve never taught a class before, and since everyone was at different levels of musical knowledge, it was a challenge to find things we could do in class that would be really fun but also help them learn and make sense to everyone. But I made it!
Last week, we had ‘tech week’ at the Stoneham Theatre where the kids got to rehearse on the mainstage and get costumes ready, lights, etc. I’m blown away at how talented and professional they all are. Sadly we weren’t allowed to videotape the show due to rights restrictions, but we have lots of pictures.
I didn’t get to watch the show because I was playing the keyboard for it (in my flannel and cowboy hat o’ course. yeehaw! see me a tiny bit back there in this photo?) And we had a phenomenal drummer come in and help us which truly just pulled the show together and took it from a great kids show to a really professional production.
Photos courtesy of John Howrey for the Stoneham Theatre, who was actually the music director for one of the other shows going on the same weekend, Footloose!
This all came to a close yesterday so now I’m feeling the letdown. What will I do with myself now? I’ve spent 5 straight weeks smothered in Old Broadway showtunes, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and sweat (ew, I know). Where do I go now? What’s next?
I guess breakfast, for starters. There’s no business like show business! 
