3rd and 4th Grade Musical -- We Haz Jazz

This is been a great show to prepare for!  The students have learned a lot about jazz and blues.  Tonight is our show for the parents and part of me is excited for the show to be over and part of me is sad.  Ending a show is like ending a good book - you want to know how it ends, but then you miss the characters.

The students have worked very hard and they are doing a great job!  The have learned all their lines, lyrics, notes, and actions in the music room while they painted the backdrop, silkscreened their t-shirts, created a value self portrait, and designed the illustrations for their program in my room.

As they were rehearsing yesterday for the first time ALL together I had goosebumps multiple times and was almost brought to tears.  There is something about the performing arts that is magical.  Putting together a group of people, performing live, having live sound/music, an audience in real time creates something special.  There is a relationship between everyone in that auditorium for the duration of the show -- something that can't be duplicated or even recorded.  It's a feeling, an energy, a connection.   For those 45 minutes nothing else matters - only those kids on stage giving it all they have.



Some of my students may never set foot on a stage after tonight, as all my 4th graders will move onto a new building next year and performances like these become more and more of an extra-curricular.  Those students will always remember this night - the feeling of being under the bright lights, the rush of adrenaline, the sound of applause.  Then some of my students will catch the theatre bug tonight and it will be one of many stages they perform on in their lives.  Actually, one student when he tried out for the show asked for a small, one line part, because he didn't want to be too nervous or stressed.  Today after our dress rehersal he came up to my partner in crime, the music teacher, and told her, "I've learned one thing..... one line is not enough".  He has found the performing arts and will continue.

So, tonight we have our one and only show for families - the music teacher will stand next to me directing them with actions and gestures as I sit hovered over the sound board adjusting levels.  There will be more than families in those seats - there will be love, pride, and I'll say it again -- there will be magic.


::happy sigh::   Have I said before how much I love my job?!