OH Dolly!!

Happy Birthday Carol Channing;)

At last!

At last the update has arrived! First we go all the way back to Proof. It was a smashing success. I was amazed at how well they did. And I loved my set;) I'm rather proud of it actually, several people said they felt like they had walked into someone's backyard. If you know the show, you know there is some "language" that is not appropriate for high school. We cut all the "fucks" out, but I left most of the rest of it. Only one complaint letter, and it was from a parent who didn't even see the show. Gotta love Woodbridge!
I hope you enjoy these pics. I think my cast really rose to the show and had great relationships. I know they miss it and wish it had run longer. They still talk about" I wish we could just go back for one more weekend and I really think I would like to try......." whatever thing that has occured to them.

Ok, anyway...........enough gushing about them. After Proof, I got to go with Bud to the Virginia Music Educators Association Annual conference at the Homestead. Ah the lovely Homestead. Wow. It was free because Bud is on the Planning Committee. Thank god, because that place is EXPENSIVE!!! Gorgeous, but expensive. I did, of course, spend time at the spa;) And just for Mark, I took food pictures. Only dessert, but you could eat the entire thing(expect the actual plate). Bud looks absolutely dreadful in that picture, but after a bottle of wine and 5 courses, I guess it's the best I was going to get;)

It was such a lovely 5 days. The weather was good, I got to be lazy and have people wait on me and eat great food and hang with some nice people. The Great Hall is amazing and they serve tea every afternoon with little sandwiches and sweets. Would that every vacation could be like that. Would that I had the Rockefeller fortune to have a vacation like that all the time.

Ok, so then we move to the Dance Concert. I enjoy the dance concert at school. I did find it hard this year to let all the lighting design duties go to a student. She's building her resume for college and I think she did a very good job. And I suppose that it's good that my students are able to implement what I'm teaching, and it's a little selfish of me to want to do soemthings myself. But I LIKE lighting. Oh well. She did do a great job. She also did the design for Proof. I just hope she gets into the college she wants.

Oh December was a busy one!! Many a concert at school, auditions for the musical, crazy Ellen's show (Murder by the Book) and the gloroius reunion of a bunch of dinner theatre vets for a little holiday hoo haa at the Lorton prison. Is that moving up in the world??? It was a wonderful time. We rehearsed at my school; because there was heat and a bathroom, and then brought the whole shebang to Lorton. The theatre department at the high school(me) very kindly supplied many a set piece and backdrop. My dad was also in town spending a few weeks with us. It's a long story. But it was great that he was with us for a while. We had developed a leak in the upstairs bathroom and he fixed it and also put in some outside security lights. Very handy my dad. I hope he comes back during spring break so he can help us with remodeling the aforementioned bathroom. Speaking of remodeling....anybody want to join us? I think it's going to be quite a party. Don't all jump at once.

Speaking of parties, Mark and Jeffrey's annual Christmas party was yet another rousing success. It was wonderful seeing everyone. I was confused about the "raffle" party game, but I must say that I was very ..................pleased ...............with my Clay Aiken christmas cd. But the fact that Bud won the big prize was nice. Very Nice;) The drunks and non drunks alike all had a grand time........and I think there was no major spillage for Mark to complain about! I will admit, however, that school for me the next day was a painful endeavor. I believe I may have had too much to drink. Go figure.

The next holiday party was the Thespian party at school. We did a Secret Santa and I think everyone had a fun time. Many alumni came, mostly for the free food. Typical actors. The alumni did buy a gift for the Thespians. Last years seniors and I had talked a lot about the need for a stress reliever and that a heavy bag (punching bag) would do the trick. They bought us one.

Little did I realize that it would be a major ordeal to hang the thing in my classroom. We had to get approval from the county office of Risk Management and Safety in order to get someone to hang it. I had to justify why we had it, what sort of educational rationale ...........blah, blah, blah. It was crazy. Hopefully it will be hanging soon. We have several teachers who have asked to be able to use it already;) I think I just found my newest fundraiser.

Over Christmas, while Bud went to South Dakota to visit family, I colored my hair reddish. Sort of strawberry. I like it.

Lastly, one of my students, Maria, has just been diagnosed with Hodgekins Lymphoma, stage one. She starts chemo on Monday and it will be pretty intensive for the next 9 weeks. She's a senior and was my Catherine for Proof. She's a VERY talented young woman. She was also my Dorothy for Oz last year. I think they are going so intensive right away because it came on so suddenly and the swollen lymph nodes have pushed her esophogus to one side a bit. Prayers please. She's a great kid.


I guess that's really it for now. I'm busy at school. We just finished our competition one act. I should really spend more time getting that ready, but somehow it never happens. They did ok for 8 rehearsals. I spent 2 weekends adjudicating the state level auditions for theatre for Governor's School. That was ........ interesting. Some really good stuff and some amazingly BAD. Makes you wonder what was so bad of the ones that didn't make it to the state level. Yikes.

I'm looking for another job. Seriously this time. I don't think they will be offering me a contract for next year. Even tho our principal is stepping down, he's done so much damage that people don't want to send their kids to our school. So numbers are down and that means I could be out of a job. It's really sad (about the numbers, not my job). Morale is horrible. Ah well. Such is life I suppose. I don't know if I was cut out for really teaching in public schools anyway. I push too hard and demand too much of all the wrong things. I should be focusing on testing and scores and getting them through, NOT on making sure they understand their elective classes. Even though my kids are the ones passing all those tests with flying colors. Oooh, slightly bitter, but only slightly.

Ok, that really is all. For now. Kids shows are coming up and then our musical (Working). Anyone know where I can get hold of a lot of scaffolding???

Tamarin.............if you actually read this............this last picture is for you.