the music man

What a ride this has been, to be in a show again! It has been a blast, I have loved it, it has been great... but it will be a long time before we do it again!

Here is our full cast-- all 80 of us! 80 is a huge cast to work with, I still don't know everyone's name, but as a whole they have won me over. What a great group of kids, teenagers and parents alike. Everyone is friendly and concerned for one another. It has been great to be a part of.


I decided to audition when Megan began showing interest in being on stage. We've taken her to a few performances and she always leaves saying, "Can I be the one on stage next time?" Then she spends all day dressing up, singing, dancing and quoting scenes from her favorite movies. So when the opportunity arose we decided to try it. The requirement was to be at least 7 to audition, but I emailed them asking if Meg and I could audition as a pair, basically we would both audition for the chorus and just be together at all times on stage. I found out later they were very hesitant, thinking there was no way a 3 year old could handle a show like this.

Her audition won them over. She stood up, sang "Castle on a Cloud" from Les Miserables, without missing a beat and didn't show a shred of shyness or nerves. They cast her in the chorus as a townsperson along with these lovely ladies.

This is where I find Megan every time I am searching for her, in the arms of one of the 30+ 7-12 year old girls also in the cast. I joke that we have a cast of babysitters back stage for Meg.

Our plan shifted when I was cast as Ethel, on of the Pick-a-little ladies. Also Marcellus' girlfriend who does not have children. They just decided to move Meg around and have a different person assigned for every scene to help her get on and off stage. She has never once missed an entrance, a prop pick up, a costume change, or a dance move. Obviously she has a lot of help, but still!

And here is where she steals the show! Every night she walks out with the boys' band wearing a high school sized band uniform, with a piccolo in her hand. She gets the biggest laugh of the night, and I nearly break into tears every time I see her!

It has been a lot of long nights, about three weeks in a row we were gone for about 4 hours every night. Adam has been so supportive, but also been grateful for the nights we get to stay home. Lucy, after seeing the process has also decided she wants to do the next show.

It has been great bonding for Meg and I. It has been exciting to share with her something I love so much, and to see her do so well! There have been nights where she is so tired, looks like she will pass out between scenes, but when those lights come up, she smiles like she's never smiled before!

This is Meg and her friend Andrew. He is in her preschool class and came to see the show with his family. He gave her a rose and a card after the show. So cute!

Megan had to miss a few rehearsals for illness. Nothing serious, but she needed some extra sleep. I couldn't believe how many people came up and asked about her! People I hadn't even met yet asked how she was doing. One guy said he wished all the kids were as good as Megan. I asked how she was doing since I didn't get to watch her on stage, and he said, "no, like good, as in well behaved. Megan is always obedient, when she's told to be quiet she's quiet. When she's supposed to sit down, she sits down. She's just so good!"


And here is Carlie bug admiring Megan's rose after the show. She'll get to see the show closing night.