April 2024 - Part 2

I'm not gonna lie.

The rest of April was about Cinderella and pretty much just Cinderella. 

We arrived back from Mexico for the start of Tech Week.

The week before the show, the cast rehearses the production in the actual theater with all of the props, scenery, costumes along with pit orchestra accompaniment.
It's a week full of late nights and lots of hard work to get things just right.

They begin rehearsal right after school, stop for dinner provided by the Drama Boosters organization, and then continue until about 9pm or 10pm each night, starting on Monday and ending Thursday.

Friday is opening night.

This week is a chance for the Tech Crew to work on their timing, coordination and plan for each performance. Techs run the lights, sound, handle all props and make sure they are in the right place on stage at the right time, fix costumes, shift scenery, help with quick costume changes, and anything in between including bit parts.

Their costume = Tech Black.

For the cast, it's a chance to finalize their blocking and practice, practice, practice.
Their costume = Cinderella Core.

Finally, opening night was here.
Cinderella was performed six times over two weekends.

I watched EVERY SINGLE PERFORMANCE.

Okay. Yes. I was volunteering at every performance, except one which I watched "on a date" with Huzbend.

So, what I will do is this.

I will pick the best pics and videos from the six shows and walk you through a typical performance.

Just a warning that this will be a dude heavy interpretation of Cinderella.
You see, Mikey was a knight, so he wasn't in ton of scenes with the stepsisters, fairy godmothers and magical princesses.

Let's start!

The calm before the storm.
Actors and techs arrive two hours before show time to make sure they are ready.

This is what the stage looks like before the Techs have placed the first scene's scenery in place.

Here you can see some costumes on racks for quick changes.

There are also props ready to be placed on stage.

This is the hallway backstage.

Here you'll find tables strewn with props that are labeled and ready for actors to grab.

There are also tables with snacks, water and tea.

This back hallway is where the dressing rooms are and where the Green Room is.

Before the performance, you'll find actors conversing and often being quite silly.
They're putting on makeup, getting into costume and practicing dialog or songs.

During the performance, you'll find actors back here getting last minute costume fixes and running from one backstage door to the next. It's all quite serious. Well, most of the time.

This is the Green Room.

It's where the actors sit and wait for their scenes.

The sound of the show is blasted into the hallway as well as this room so they can hear what's going on and be ready.

About one hour before show time, the first scenes set pieces are put into place and the sound check starts.

Main actors have microphones, and the techs make each actor run the mic through its paces to make sure it's working, and the volume is correct.
Some other actors just mill about on stage being silly.

For the first performance, Katie filled in for a spotlight tech.

She was up in the rafters.
This is what the platform looks like from the ground.

This is what it looks like up on the platform.

You are looking at a spotlight.

And this is a Katie.

The show is about to start.

The director cues the stage manager.

The stage manager radios their assistants and the show starts.

The actors are waiting for their lighting and musical cues.

Cinderella starts off with a battle scene.

A gaggle of knights fight a giant.

Katie was stationed on stage right. Stage right is from the perspective of an actor.
This is her view.

When all looks lost, and a certain squire is about to get his butt kicked........

....Prince Topher slays the giant and saves the day.

Upon the giant's demise, the knights hail Topher while Topher demurs.

Here's a close up of Lord Pinkleton's squire.

He was quite dashing in that jacket.

Wondering what this scene looks like from the rafters?

We next meet Topher back in his throne room where we learn more about him and the not-so-honest people who surround him.

Sebastian suggests a ball so that he can find a wifie.

Here is Katie's backstage view of the same scene.

We've jumped ahead to a market scene.

Jean-Michel is trying to rally the peasants to revolt against the prince, but Lord Pinkleton and his squire steal his spotlight and invite everyone to a ball.

As one would expect, lots of singing and dancing ensues.

The official invitation holder with his basket.

A view from the crows nest.

In this scene Mikey spent much of the time dancing in the background.

I couldn't see him very well.

But Spotlight Operater Katie could!

Cha-cha-cha.

"The prince is giving a baaaaaaaaalllllllll!"

I really loved how this song was staged.

Skipping lots of Cinderella stuff....It's time for the ball!

Prince Topher and the nameless girl meet.

They dance and get all romantic.

I LOVED this scene.

I'm not sure what it was.

I cried just about every time I watched it.

Not because I was sad, but because it was so beautiful to watch these

crazy drama teens waltzing.

Mikey - ahem - Lord Pinkelton's squire was paired up with Charlotte, one of the stepsisters.

Sigh.

Halfway through the dance she tries to make her escape, but the squire twirls her back into his arms.

The big finish.

Do you want to see the waltz?

Of course you do.

Disaster.

The clock strikes midnight.

The nameless girl dashes away, loses her shoe, but then picks it back up and runs away!

Halftime!

I mean, intermission!

Everyone gets a small break.
The audience gets plied for money and then exits to purchase treats and use the bathroom.

The techs exit backstage to the hallways or the Green Room.

The pit orchestra does the same.

There are snacks to eat in the hallway.

The actors all hang in the Green Room.

They eat snacks (especially green grapes), refresh makeup, change costumes, play Mario Kart and/or things like that.

Intermission is about 15 to 20 minutes and then they're right back at it.

Techs take their places backstage.

Actors are preparing to finish out the story.

The mystery woman has run away.
Prince Topher commands his troops to find her.

The search begins.

Mystery woman, where are you?

Having no luck, the prince calls for a banquet to be held.

Maybe she'll come back?

Cinderella does indeed come to the banquet and brings along some villagers as well as the rabble rouser Jean-Michel.

The villagers meet Topher and declare him a good guy.
This scene contained Mikey's only spoken line, "Our future king!"

At the end of the banquet, Cinderella runs away again.

But this time she LEAVES a shoe so Topher can find her.

He has a shoe fit-off, inviting all the maids of the village.

The shoe fits!

The wedding begins.

Awwwww.

A happy ending!

Time for applause and bows.

Actors are sure to recognize the sound, lights and tech crew, who pop out at the end.

On closing night, the seniors formed their own line and took their final bows.

Here's video of closing nights bows and encore.

After bows, the actors run off stage and race to the lobby of the theatre.

There they will line up on both sides and cheer on the audience as they exit.

After that, it's time to find your family and friends for hugs, laughs, pictures and lots of loud celebrations.

This happens EVERY night of the performance.

It was especially emotional on closing night.
These are pictures from successive show nights.

Lord Pinkleton's squire and his dance partner, Charlotte.

Family picture time!

On closing night, the kids middle school drama teacher came to see all her kids.
She retired at the end of the year.

Best. Teacher. Ever.

Mikey and his friend Nora looking very posh and mischievous.... 

After all the friends and family leave, it's time to clean up.
On closing night, that means "striking" the set.

The entire set gets broken down.

Props get put away and costumes are sorted to be washed and stored.

Once this is accomplished, the cast and crew get together for the "Bottle Ceremony" where they toast the run of the show with fizzy apple cider and compliments.

I was able to grab this picture on opening night of the kids.

It was an emotional time for me.

Mikey just starting out with drama and Katie ending her drama experience. This was the last time they would be in a show together.

I was a hot mess on closing night.

Lots of tissues were used.

And just like that, Cinderella was over, and we moved another step closer to the end of the school year and the big changes that graduation would bring.

I would be remiss in my blogging duty if I didn't mention that there were two other important things that happened during the last half of the month of April.

Huzbend and I got to go on a sort-of date.

We ate chicken tikka masala pizza while the kids were stuck at the theatre in between the matinee and evening Saturday shows for Cinderella.

It wasn't fancy, but it was definitely yummy.

And Ralph celebrated his 10th birthday on the 26th.

He got a lot of attention and new squeaky dinosaur and lobster toys.