AST MUSICAL!!!

---

Since my interview on the phone with the American School, they've asked me to direct a musical at the school.

With 130 kids auditioned, we decided I had to take all children, so we divided them by grade group and we called it "The Best of Broadway" featuring songs from the musicals Peter Pan, Annie, Oliver!, Moulin Rouge, The Sound of Music, Grease, Wicked, and Bye Bye Birdie.

Each group learned 2 musical numbers during separate practices after school. I had a special dance ensemble (composed of 4th and 5th graders) learn additional pieces during lunch hours. I also had some 3rd-5th graders as "transitional actors" reading bits of information between the numbers and providing the opening of the show. It was very much done in the same kind of way as we do musical productions at Centauri Summer Arts Camp - a musical review from many different shows.

The week of the performance, I had a full rehearsal with all 107 kids on Monday, a full dress rehearsal on Tuesday, a mock/practice performance for the adult English courses on Wednesday night, and then full performances for families and friends on Thursday and Friday.

The show was a HUGE success. We had a full audience of over 500 people each night. I had an outpouring of comments from parents and teachers saying how professional and well-rehearsed the whole thing looked.

The superintendent of the school came up to me at intermission on Thursday night and said that when I had asked to do a musical at the school, she wasn't expecting anything of this caliber. She was so happy with the performance and thanked me.

At the end of both Thursday's and Friday's show, they kept all the kids on stage and presented me with a HUGE bouquet of flowers. It was nice.

I have mixed feelings about it being over. All that work for months and months is now all over. On the other hand, I now have my afternoons free again... plus there's always next year!

---

Photos

Grease Megamix
Third grade students backstage (outside) during intermission

Peter Pan
1st and 2nd graders

Oliver!
3rd grade boys

4th and 5th Graders
Some dressed in black for transitional actors. Some dressed for Annie.

Best of Broadway
The t-shirts they made for the ushers and the admin team

Sound of Music
1st and 2nd graders

Cheese!
In their cute little German outfits ;)

T Birds
My 3rd grade Grease boys

Teachers
Dressed (minus my costume) for the teacher number "Mama I'm a Big Girl Now" from Hairspray

Popular
2 of my 4th grade dance ensemble girls dressed for Popular from Wicked

Bouquets!
Thank you gifts from the school.