Summer with the Arts - Theater Program

 

I've had my eye on the summer theater program through our park district for the past few summers but we've never been able to participate because it seemed like we were always going to miss some important part of it - like be on vacation during the final show weekend or during the few tech weeks leading up to the performance.  But, this summer our vacation schedules aligned well enough and I signed the girls up.  I was motivated by the program being a k-12 age range meaning the girls would meet some local kids outside of Riley, specifically for Abby as she's entering into highschool.

The show was called Dare the Dream and it was essentially a Disney music review of sorts.  The kids had their first ever audition back at the end of May and while they were both very nervous they practiced before we went and I have to say they did a really good job auditioning considering they'd never done it before.  They both had to prepare a 30 second solo and a short monologue.  Hazel, who never seems nervous about anything and is the most go with the flow was so nervous she almost froze but with a little coaxing she turned on the charm and was able to land her audition.  Abby, also nervous, really stepped up and just whipped it out!

In the end both girls spent the majority of the time in the ensemble but both had solos!  Abby's was early on in the show, she sang a song from Moana and man...I gotta say, she had me in tears!!  She was SO GOOD!  So many people commented on her solo, it was a real boost of confidence for her.  Hazel had a short, few lines solo and she also nailed it!  

The kids all got to pick the characters they wanted to dress up as - well, they had to rank their top 3, but both girls got their top picks.  Abby was dressed as Princess Jasmine and Hazel was...can you guess it?  Thumper (a bunny, of course!).  The director had the kids do something called Disney Bounding (which is something Disney people know about, but it was new for us).  Essentially it means that they dress in the likeness of the characters, but not as the exact characters.  Each kid was tasked with finding their own outfit and they were told they shouldn't spend a ton of money on it.  No ordering things on Amazon or going to the Halloween stores....they needed to source their costumes from their closets or from their friends or from Goodwill etc.  What do you think?  Didn't they do a great job?

The practices ran three nights a week for 2 hours each night through all of June and most of July and it all ended with three shows at the high school theater.  We sent out the details to the family and SO MANY people showed up!  They came form far and wide to support the girls and to see their first ever musical.  We had about 8-10 people over each of the three nights.  It made for a busy week of hosting but also for a great chance for us to host smaller groups here in Marengo.  

I really wasn't prepared for how proud I felt of these two amazing girls.  For how much I wanted to brag on them and show them off and pump them up.  It has been such a good summer of realizing we're raising really great, cool, fun children and being able to stand beside them as they grow up and try new things and excel at them.  As we watch them find the things they love to do and the talents they have hidden inside of them.  I will never forget these moments.  The moments my heart swells with pride and love for these sweet girls.

We're so lucky to have so many family and friends to show up to cheer the girls on.  It makes them feel special and loved, and me too, honestly!

We had such a good experience with this theater program...I'll be angling for them to try out again next year.  Hopefully the schedules align and we can pull it off again - it sounds like the winter show is going to be Mary Poppins and the next summer show is Madagascar.