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Ohmygoshohmygosh OH. MY. GOSH!

That is what I have to say about the marvelous week I just spent at the International Thespian Conference. Ms.D and I took six girls to this outstanding event and I am struggling to gather up the words.

At the last minute, the school district here in town decided that we could NOT take the mini-van that we had rented to go to this conference. Despite the perfect driving records of Ms. D and myself, and the permission of all the parents—there are new laws in effect (the result of some lawsuit, I suspect) that would not allow us to drive these kids ourselves. So we had to use a huge school bus and pay a driver for a full week of his time/hotel/meals just to transport eight of us to Nebraska. An UN-AIRCONDITIONED school bus. Across Nebraska….groan…..

(Back of my mind thoughts on this transportation decision: This lawsuit-happy attitude/fear is exactly the type of thing that will result in totally freezing all activities of this sort in the future. Grrrr.)

So we made the best of it—I told the girls to pack as MUCH as they wanted, we brought lots of food, stretched out across seats to sleep, and left the driving to a professional.

The university campus is a pretty place. I was thrilled to be walking by such varieties of deciduous trees and greenery. (NOT thrilled by the humidity and the hundred degree temps…)

Everyday was filled with the din of extroverted theater kids—three thousand of them. Glorious, nerdy, look-at-me-kids who’s level of talent simply astonished me. I was delighted (and sometimes aghast) at their wacky sense of style and their utter lack of propriety. They talk loud, laugh hard, clap inappropriately and yet they GET it. They respond. They truly appreciate this art of theater.

We saw a full production show every morning, went to (fabulous) workshops every afternoon and then saw another amazing production every night. The shows were performed by the best of the best high school students from around the country and most were outrageous, jaw-dropping performances.

We watched a 1.5 million dollar production of “Ragtime” that was unbelievable. Really, REALLY unbelievable. There were try-outs for the national cast at LAST years Internationals, and the chosen cast has been working on this production over the year. I kept having to remind myself that these were high school students! It was the caliber of a Broadway production. The composer and lyricist of “Ragtime”, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens were at this performance. Unbelievable I tell you!

(Back of my mind thoughts: Is this high-money enterprize defeating the whole idea of hands-on high school theater? Or is this a wonderful once-in-a-lifetime experience for these kids to have?)

I have been a mentor for Lindsay, who won first place at State Thespian Conferences for her Publication Design—which qualified her for the International competition. Together we tightened up her program and improved the graphic presentation of her poster. It really looked great—very visually rich. Despite the fact that nearly everyone of the 15 other contestants had slick, 3-panel display boards, show T-shirts, buttons, TV ads and radio spots on tape—(all arranged on satin…) — Lindsay’s work stood out. She stood before the judges with just her stunning poster (“The Servant of Two Masters”) and matching program—and must have knocked their socks off because SHE WON! (Oh, the shrieks! My ears will never be the same!) We are so proud of her!

When we weren’t supporting our girls when they performed their presentations or monologue/musical numbers for college try-outs, I attended workshops on costume (“Thrift Shop Chic”—EXACTLY my kind of class—and I learned a LOT!) and theatrical make-up and had a blast! (I was asked by the costume instructor if I would think about teaching a workshop next year on building animal and bird costumes!) Hee!

I loved spending time with the six lovely girls we took. They all get along so well—some of them have known each other since grade school. I laughed to find them once all curled up on one bed in the dorm room, draped over each other like a pile of exhausted puppies. As an adult in a sea of teenagers, it’s fun to be invisible. As we walked behind our group of beauties we were able to catch the reactions of those left in their wake. We laughed to see the faces of the boys they passed—how some would stop short and stare and then stumble into each other. Our girls didn’t even know the ripples they caused! They were assured and confident without a shred of attitude or conceit. I was so proud of how they carried themselves all week.

S’wonderful…s’marvelous!

Now we are getting ready to take off again on Friday for our West coast family reunion. wheeeee!

Gotta go again!!! Just wanted to stop in and say Hi! I’ll have to catch up with all of you later!

(To you—you have soooo been in my thoughts—and yet I know you will be okay if not better than ever. And you I miss something terrible and LYMMM. And you two should take a long drive down the coast next week! You I can’t wait to catch up with, and you and you and you and you and you and you I love dearly.)

See you all later!

:)xo

Adagio