You Want Me to What???

Wow!!! This community theatre production rehearsal for "Bye Bye Birdie" is hard work but it's fun-fun-fun!!! These kids are amazing! In high school when we did anything we always had the chorus class period to practice and DID WE EVER!!! Polly Hunter Hardin(Grimes now) worked our tails off! And we were really good-- if I say so myself!!! However saying that, I can't believe the talent these young people have at HHS that do not even have a choral class offered them!!! In one week these teens have learned what it took at least a month for us to learn--- and then some!! WOW!!!!! I am most impressed! I remember David Pettigrew, our musical hero, always rising to the occasion at hand. Of course, he was our 'Conrad Birdie' and was fabulous!!! (Well, Noel Hood is going to give him a run for his money!) lol We had such fun during our practices. I have often said the only reason I went to school was for chorus and our productions. (maybe some truth in that) Anyway, we would get out for days during our plays. It was always a large project! The weeks prior the cast would do promotional spots on the local radio station and would promote at school as well. For example the week before "Bye Bye Birdie", we wore HUGE paper buttons that we made that said 'We Love You Conrad"! We would preform the entire program for the elementary school, Thursday was the middle school performance, and Friday was the high school's turn.(that was always toughest) Friday night was for the public. Later when Ms.Polly married our principal, Mr. GRIMES-- I realized how she got away with so many performances! HA HA just kidding.Although she was great, and Mr. Grimes was also..., we had a fruitcake for a superintendent!!! It is a miracle we got to do anything at all!! But we most certainly did! We did many musicals and tons of talent shows! It saddens me our children don't have the option for chorus at school anymore. What's even sadder is that they really had not taken advantage of it when they had it in the latter years. It seemed to have dwindled down to nothing before it was discontinued. That is so sad!!! So many scholarships lost...so many people never realizing their potential because they were never allowed the chance or opportunity to even be creative! How bored I would have been going to school now. Yeah, I was cheerleader and all that...but all that mattered to me was the music! As I listen to the young people practicing for this program..I am blown away at the raw talent! True, some have been well trained but the talent was born in them!!! I am very hard to impress but real talent--true God-given talent---is my favorite thing to witness! I am, as Daisy Mae said in Lil Abner, "Past my Prime" but am thrilled to be in the midst of young, fresh talent. And although I have been long past wanting -or shall I say enjoying --to be around teen-aged kids and the attitude that comes with it....I must say these young people seem to want to do this and it makes all the difference!! I know my mama(and daddy) would have skinned me alive if I had had the attitude , unfortunately, many kids have today. I have been snubbed by many for whatever reasons why!!(silly but sad) However, Janet Coker has done well this year because I truly enjoy this group! I really think I am too old to learn so many lines and me....spanish?....lol. ME, dance?...well, it is called acting so we'll see. I just am thankful for the chance to be a part of something again that brings back so many wonderful memories. Better yet, an opportunity to create so many new ones. Thanks, Janet, for making an avenue for the young and older to once again stretch our creative muscles and believing in us!!!! You are the best!!!