The Magic of Theatre

I'm blocking "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" reeeaaaalllly slowly. The first night, we did only 14 pages. Last night, we did 7, went back and 'locked' them in, then went back and did pages 5-19 again.

Already, I'm seeing a vision of what this show is going to be. Everyone around me is itching and pushing to get to the details and the polish, but we really have to go slow here. The scenes have TONS of kids in them and the process of making sure they're all in the right place, and acting and in character, is tough.

There are lots of laughs along the way. I laugh and I get laughed at. Joe Siefker pointed out an obvious change--we should walk this way instead of that way--and it WAS so obvious that I was almost embarrassed. Frances, one of my new moms, started laughing and pretty soon, we all were. Fun and funny.

There are moments of brilliance--I've seen them in Ariel, in Megan, in Aubree, in Alec, in these early interactions between the Herdman kids. This is really going to be a good show. This is something I think a lot of directors don't know or don't pay attention to--things like tussling, chasing, play-fighting all have to be choreographed. Most directors just let the kids do what they want to and it ends up looking amateurish and unpracticed--because it is.

Rachel, our girl that plays Beth, came in so much better last night. She slowed down a lot in her narrator speeches and that's good. Rachelle is good, too. I'm just really pleased with everyone...

Now...let's start worrying about the costumes!!