GREASE!

We are half way through the run of our musical for this year at Jersey Village High School. As the director I get to do a lot of wonderful things, artistically speaking, and as a teacher I get to work with lots of wonderful young talent. The coolest part is, that we never know who will actually pursuer this field as a career and maybe one day become a household name. I often tell my students that we competed against Renee Zellweger in the One-Act Play competition during her high school years & still have the flier listing all the students' names, including hers. Joseph Kahn is a product of our program, prior to my arrival, and still visits, generously offering his wisdom in the business as a film & video director. Who knew back then what they would become...and maybe one of the kids in these pictures will be next.

As a photographer I get to shoot productions, honing my skills and providing free head shots & portfolio images for my students. I can tell you, after shooting theatrical production for years, that shooting weddings is no more challenging, maybe even easier, than live theatre! Speaking of weddings, I will be shooting two next month, among my scheduled sessions & look forward to the awesome fall weather for the location wedding, as well as the night shoot for the local wedding. Our next production at JVHS? To Kill A Mockingbird. Stay tuned to my blog for images from both! Enjoy these shots & leave a note to let me know you were here :)

Death Takes a Holiday

      Producing a show...it's like birthing a baby. Months of preparation, lots of labor, areas getting bigger than originally expected, etc.... the result is (hopefully) something beautiful, full of life, and the source of wonderful memories for the rest of our lives. I am blessed to have a great job teaching theatre to high school students. I am equally blessed to have fellow co-workers, friends, who help take the load off. Dan Kutsko is one such friend. He and another friend, Angela Kinman, help each season by directing shows so the students get more opportunities on & behind the stage. WE just opened Death Takes A Holiday, our third show this year. My job involves climbing tall ladders, building sets, hanging lights, coaching acting, sometimes directing, and so much more. In the end, when I sit in the audience and watch the current production I see that "so much more" part. I see all the work the students did, the support from the parents (thanks God for parents!) and the AMAZING creation of the performing arts. The fact that I can reach out & touch lives, not just as a teacher, but as a producer of the theatre, and the blessing of getting to see the joy in the hearts and minds of the patrons who come see our work is such a grand reward. There is no doubt in my mind that, as we work, Death does take a holiday. I see only Life!

 The view from the tech booth is always a great perspective. These crew members know the show well enough to sit & run lights & sound from computerized systems that take lots of training to master.

 Young women in beautiful gowns is always a grand thing to see! Such classic elegance.

 I loved this shot, but I hated that the stage lighting caused a bad blowout of his face, so I did the antiquing to help make it work.

 Many shows have choreography required for the production. We love giving this opportunity to the talented dancers we have in our program.

 Catching the dynamics between actors is an exciting thing to experience. When actors develop a bond that allows them to create one moment between two people so beautifully everyone gets blessed.

 This shot was taken during intermission. The actor was sitting by the lamp on the set behind closed curtains & I grabbed a shot, then as he realized the look I was going for he posed for another shot. This was that other shot, & love the look!

 Ahhhh.... me at work!

 Actors helping with the tech work...the best way to get versatile & insure a successful career in the theatre!

 I just had to play with the look she gave for the shot! Which do you prefer?

 This is going to be one my all time favorite moments! The director, Dan Kutsko, was helping the lead actor get dressed before the opening curtain.

 No show can open without the leadership of an amazing stage management team. The organization required to produce a show is demanding & these are two of the three students who made it work! The other is back in the tech booth while these two are backstage.

Opening gifts & closing nights...

I started off my Saturday at a baby shower for our cousin Rhiannon. Her little guy is due in December and the party was a refreshing change from my recent weeks of heavy overtime at work producing the musical. She has a beautiful house, and her friends made a wonderful fall party atmosphere. 

Rhiannon chose a nautical theme for the baby room, and it is adorable!

The food was excellent, the company was enjoyable, the gifts were splendid, and the day was off to a great start!

I moved from that refreshing afternoon full of hope and excitement to a very satisfying evening with my drama students as we gave the final performance of our musical, Les Miserables. The traditions of closing night include the crowning of the new freshmen girls as the "Freshmen Princesses" by the junior girls. Watching this sweet and crazy moment before we began the show was a delight.

Another tradition, every night before we raise the curtain, is to circle up in the actor's waiting room where I give my director's pep talk, and we take our moment of personal spiritual reflection. The rule that MUST be adhered to at all times is to hold hands with the right arm over the left one. Call it superstition, but we performers can rival the baseball players of the world when it comes to superstitions and traditions!

Finally, as we say goodbye to our final audience for this show, take our bows, and tear down the set we are already thinking of two things: the cast party & the next show!

We took the cast photo, missing a few members of the company, we began "strike" (taking down the set), and we said goodbye to Les Miserables.

Like I said, when one door closes, another opens!

Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. Share with me your stories of life's doors opening & closing.