There's Always Drama in My Town!

            

Better Than Broadway

Have you ever seen a show at the Springer Opera House, the State Theatre of Georgia? Every year, the Springer hosts a season of musicals and dramas.  Both genres are filled with exceptional shows and extraordinary actors from Columbus.

Many of the actors and directors at the Springer are from Muscogee and Harris County and all are as talented as the ones on Broadway.  In fact, Shane Hall, choreographer of the current show 9 to 5, was in a National tour of Cats as Mr. Mistofelees.  Paul Pierce, producing artistic director of the Springer for twenty-five years, has directed over two hundred shows at the Springer.

Another reason you should see a show at the Springer is because they are always entertaining.  Ron Anderson, director of the Springer Children’s Theatre and Academy, is an extremely funny person.  He has an ability to make anybody laugh.  The shows at the Springer Children’s Theatre are sometimes based on books.  Mr. Ron has adapted many books into plays for the stage.  Two of my favorite works by Mr. Ron are Little-Baby-Snoogle-Fleejer based on the book by Jimmy Carter and Oliviatown by Allen Levi.  The show that is currently on stage, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, is based on the novel by Judy Blume.

           

The shows at the Springer Opera House are educational as they teach a lesson in every show.  Last season’s show show, Amazing Grace, taught listeners not to judge people on the outside or by their skin color.  Damn Yankees taught the audience to be content with who you are and what you have.  

The State Theatre of Georgia is a historic landmark.  Columbus should be proud to have a theatre rich with history, filled with abundant talent, and packed with entertainment.  If you’ve never seen a show at the Springer, call Becky, my friend at the box office, today!  You will be glad you did!

springeroperahouse.org

Personal Narrative

An Extraordinary Opportunity

by the Homeschool Jedi

I had no idea what a Snoogle-Fleejer was, but if it had anything to do with the Springer, I wanted to be a part of it.  In February 2011, Mr. Ron, the director of the Springer Theatre Academy, invited me to try out for the play, The Little-Baby-Snoogle-Fleejer.  Mr. Ron adapted the play based on the book by former president Jimmy Carter.  Six other boys were competing for the part.  First, at the audition, Mr. Ron and Mr. Adam, a teacher at the Springer, started some warm-up games such as Zip-Zap-Zop and What Are You Doing.  Then, we had to read a monologue to Mr. Ron, and rehearse a scene with Mr. Adam.  Mr. Ron said that he would call us to tell us if we earned a part sometime in the next two days.  At the end of the try-out, my dad came to pick me up.  He went to Dunkin Donut’s and bought donut holes while I was at the audition and we ate them on the way home while we talked about the fun I had.

            Two days later, on the way to my sister’s dance practice, my mom got a call from the Springer.  My mom gave me the phone and told me to answer it.  When I picked it up, Mr. Ron asked, “Is this Joshua?”  I responded, yes, nervously.  He asked me if I would like to play the role of Jeremy.  Jeremy is the main character in the play, so it was an enormous opportunity to portray him.  I accepted the part and said thank-you.  After I hung-up the phone, my mom asked what part I was offered.  I told her that I was going to play the lead role of Jeremy.  Immediately, I called my dad and asked him to pick up my script at the Springer.

            I worked all day and night for two weeks memorizing the script.  By the first rehearsal, I already had it completely memorized.  My first rehearsals started the last week of February with only Mr. Adam, who would play The Little-Baby-Snoogle-Fleejer, and me.  The two of us completed a lot of blocking, and by the next week, we were ready to combine the entire cast.  The majority of the cast was in the seventh or eighth grade, but at the time I was only in fourth grade.  My character, Jeremy, had a disability called cerebral palsy and I had to wear a leg brace.  The leg brace covered my leg up to the knee and made it difficult to walk.  I fell a couple of times during the practices, so the set designers had to put stairs on the side of the stage so that I wouldn’t fall off when I walked during the show.  

 

            The first show for the cast was March 23, 2011.  My paternal grandparents came all the way from Colorado to see me on opening night.  I was so excited to be in a play at the Springer.  I felt like I was going to explode with anxiety, excitement, and nervousness.  The play was excellent, and nobody messed up his or her lines!  After we changed out of our costumes, Mr. Ron met with the cast.  He asked us, “What did we do well, and what could we do better?”  The whole cast agreed that we could all be a little louder, but other than that it was perfect.  As soon as our meeting was over, I dashed into the reception room where the audience was mingling.  My family told me I did a splendid job.  We went out to eat at an incredible restaurant near the Springer called the Black Cow. 

            In addition to the evening shows, the Springer hosted school performances.  We performed a dozen school shows, where over three thousand students were present to see our performances.  During one of the school productions, my elementary school attended.  It was neat seeing my sister and familiar faces in the audience.

            Unfortunately, the final show of the Little-Baby-Snoogle-Fleejer caught up with us.  My maternal grandparents and aunt came to see me at the last show.  After the production, Mr. Ron gave me a copy of the original Little-Baby-Snoogle-Fleejer book with signatures from the whole cast.  It was very sad to end the show’s run, but Mr. Ron said, “There will always be another show!”  I couldn’t wait for that statement to come true because I love the Springer and acting.

A week in review

I didn't have much time to write last week what with having a 15 page paper due and all of the activities the kids are involved with back in full swing.  Fortunately, my paper and coordinating PowerPoint presentation have been submitted and I have completed Strategic HR Management!  It was by far the most labor intensive class I have taken in pursuit of my masters.  While I learned an enormous amount and had ample opportunities to put my learning into practice through 16 papers, I am exhausted!  Yet, no rest for the weary!  Today I begin my final class for my degree.  It's my Capstone course where I apply everything I've learned in the last 18 months towards a massive project.  I just don't know how I'm going to do this, but I'm encouraged that I don't have to do it all on my own:

I've been clinging to Philippians 4:13 and many others for the last 18 months.  God knew I'd be taking this class at precisely this time...even while homeschooling the Jedi.  Praise God He's in control!

Last week I set some ambitious goals for the Jedi and told him that if he finished all of his assignments by noon on Friday we could watch Red Tales, the movie about the Tuskegee Airmen.

He met his goal and we enjoyed watching Red Tails during the middle of the day.  It felt really weird, but it's one of the wonderful things I enjoy about homeschooling.

On top of the Jedi's regular work he also began his science lab class at the local university.  We are really excited the university is offering this class because its an opportunity for their science education majors to practice teaching and for our local homeschool students to participate in lab projects.  When I was selecting curriculum this summer I was completely intimidated by the science material.  Not only is science not my specialty, but lab equipment is expensive!  Thanks to some experienced local homeschool moms, this lab class started last week and is already off to a great start.  It looks like the Jedi will be participating in a science fair this year so he should be blabbing about that soon.

Another exciting thing happened in our home this week.  The Jedi is an avid thespian and attends an amazing theatre academy year round held by the official State Theatre of Georgia.  He has been blessed with the opportunity to hone his skills in improve, classical & contemporary scene study, musical theatre, puppetry, and this fall he will begin stilt walking and parkour.

When the Jedi was invited to audition for the next children's theatre production, he jumped at the opportunity!  There is no place on earth this kid would rather be than on a stage.  He was born for it.  I can say that because I'm a completely biased mother.  On Monday evening he attended the cast call where over 60 students from 4th-7th grade anxiously were hoping for a role in the show.  I love the Jedi's mindset as he always goes into these auditions with a serious attitude, but with the understanding that it is okay if he doesn't get a role and will gladly enjoy attending the performance and seeing his friends on stage.  In the Jedi's eyes, he's just happy to get to spend 2+ hours in the theatre regardless of whether or not he is cast in the show.

On the other hand, I am a nervous wreck every time he has an audition.  I'm praying God's favor over him and asking God to give the Jedi what is best for him.  I'm always torn between really wanting him to get a part and preparing him for what will happen if he is rejected.  At the same time, I never want to impress a lack of faith on him because I want him to believe God for big things.

Imagine my heartbreak when he called on his way home from the audition with my husband and is talking in a serious, downcast voice.  Immediately I say, "How was the audition, Buddy?"  He says, "It was okay Mommy."  When I asked what happened he shouts, "I got in the show!"  That little turkey.  I was already in tears...I guess he is a pretty good little actor.

So, our next month or so will be spent with every other day at the theatre and 9 glorious shows where I will enjoy watching the Jedi do what he loves most, performing on stage.  I can't wait!