Renee asked me to put in a blurb about how we got involved with this production.
As most people know, we don't go to Orem High, we go to Timpview. One day I got a call at work. My niece who does go to Orem High, Andrea, asked if the girls could audition.....I paused.....she said, "right now, the auditions are in less than an hour". I had no time to think so I said OK, never dreaming that they would realistically be cast in the show. Dave agreed to run them over to the high school. How do you go to your very first audition, no preparation, no coaching, no nothing. I was told when they got there, they hopped up on stage and sang their little hearts out. They didn't know the words because they had no warning. I figured there was no chance of getting casted and it would just be a good experience. Well, wasn't I wrong. Skip to the end......we were going to let the girls rotate and take turns being Eponine. I just had a feeling several weeks ago that it wouldn't be a good idea and decided that I need to just choose one. It was a very difficult decision to make. I talked it over with the director and decided that Kiersten should be Eponine. I sat the girls down and we had a "CHAT" and it all seemed OK and had been from that time forward. It was a very difficult mommy moment for me because I hate having to choose. But we all know, that it will probably happen a lot in their little lives. It actually has surprised me how well it's gone, and tells me that I might care more about trying to keep things fair than they do sometimes. We have focused alot on taking turns in the spot light (literally this time) and look for positive opportunities for each of them to shine. So far, it's working.
BACK TO THE SHOW
You would never believe some of these kids are high school students. The show is going well. The girls are having a blast! I spent last night back stage with the cast and it was very emotional. The tears from the girls on stage were real, the feeling was awesome. All of that emotion made it out to the audience. Even the men were teary.There have been the usual "hiccups" as there are in any production, but for the most part it has been amazing. The mics have been troublesome and last night it was very sad when little Cosette's mic didn't work for the first part of castle on a cloud. Hopefully tonight they will have most of that fixed.
"CAUTION This next part is a Mom's NOTE"
The high school DRAMA (not the stage kind of drama, but the DRAMA, drama) is fabulous to watch from our MOM point of view. We just look at each other and smile. Mostly because I think we are so glad to be 20+ years away from it all. What is it about growing up and the DRAMA that seems to be necessary to get through your teenage years? I have to tell you that the kids in the cast have shown that they have solid values and are strong in character and spirit. It has been a pleasure to get to know them. There are many who will go someplace very big in their lives. NEW GLASS
David and I decided to splurge for new glass for the camera after talking with the guys at Allen's. We stopped by on Thursday afternoon to see if they could help us with our settings and teach us a little bit more about the camera. They are always wonderful to us.......we really don't have a clue what we are doing with the camera, but learn little by little as we go. Maybe some day we will really understand what the darn thing is doing. Anyhow, we bought a fixed focus lens that has a lower F stop. I just said that like I really understand what it means :) The bottom line, it lets in more light and so our pictures turned out much clearer. Since you can't zoom with it, I had to do some quick cropping on the computer, but it was pretty easy. There are still many pictures we want to get over the next few shows, but David captured some unbelievable moments!
Well, I better run and get stuff ready for Easter while I have a few minutes. This morning we already held our practice for the Sunday program and the kids are with Grandma and Great-Grandma Jo at the Easter Egg Hunt at Jamestown. I was really grateful that Mom (Grandma Barb) said she would just take them so I had a few minutes here at the house.
LOVE YOU ALL!
Becky
Here are a few pics of us getting ready, and greeting guest after the show
We have decided that Kiersten's hair doesn't curl well unless it's clean. SO, she is trying to be happy about washing and drying her hair every day this week.
Double curling irons......She holds one, while I curl the other. This way, it only takes about 30 minutes to do her hair :)
Alexis & Uncle MIKEY!
McKenzie and Kiersten
Alexis, Andrea, Kiersten, Nathan & Madilynn
We added Lily to this one - she makes them QUADS back stage. They are getting along great.
Kiersten and Grandma Barb. Isn't getting hugs after the show the BEST!!!!!!
The chain gang. I love these costumes. I had a lot of fun helping Noralee make them. The scrubs were dyed, then shredded. Sprayed with more dye to make them look dirty and worn. I used the cricut to make stencils for their "numbers", then we spray painted them on. It was fun to pick the numbers. I made the first round (we were only originally going to do a few), but the boys loved them so much I came back with more custom numbers the second day. My favorite numbers are 3.145, 90210, 8675309 & 2012.
Nathan (cousin) is second one in from the left.
The bishop's scene.
At the end of the day. Alexis is in the dark purple dress in the middle.
This is Andrea cutting off Fantine's hair.
Nathan is dancing with the girl in the green skirt.
Fantine dies.
Last night the chair break was awesome. It was the first time it waited to fall apart until it hit Javert.
Lil Eponine entering. This dress has so much fabric in it, but doesn't it twirl great.
Ma Ma! her only line in the show. She does it perfectly.
She dances with her mother and she spins her around.
What a darling little girl is she.
I'll have to remember to blog about the day that one of the directors was trying to explain to the little girls that they were actually both abused and not treated very well. Just that Eponine was still treated just a little bit better than Cosette.
Master of the House
Lil Eponine and Thenardier come back to see what's going on. They find Jean Valjean asking Madam for Cosette.
After he hands Eponine the sponge, and tell her to start scubbing the floor instead of Cosette, she just looks at it like "really" and then tosses it aside and tries to listen to what is going on. Her curls keep getting in the way, but she does the "really" face very well. She has had lots of practice.
At the end of the scene, before Cosette leaves with Jean Valjean, she give Eponine her rag doll. It's a very sweet moment.
The beggers in the street.
The little girls ask their mom's if they can follow Gavroche.
Do you hear the people sing?
The Barricade
A little fall of rain, Eponine's death.
Bring him home
Javert's suicide
Turning
The wedding
The Epilogue. Vanlean's death.
"It is the future that we bring when tomorrow comes!"
The alumni cast from 2002 joined the current cast on stage for a reunion after the show. They sang together a few of the songs. It was great!