The Final Curtain

Tonight was the final night of our production of "Snow White". A busy play full of 90 children, some as birds, animals, trees, servants, and of course dwarfs, the wicked queen, the Prince and Snow White. Am I exhausted - Yes!! Am I worn out? - Yes!! Is it all worth it? - YES!! I get asked a lot by parents how I can do it, how I can handle all of those children, and all of the work. But as I look at the kids, as I watch them go from being afraid to go on stage to being able to say lines, it's all worth it.

I had a parent tell me that each play seems to get better and he hopes I won't burn out. I don't plan on it - I plan on sticking with this for a long time. I feel like I recieve so much from the kids that I work with. As I watch a little Cerebal Palsy boy grow and gain the skills to say lines. As I watch a little 5 year old allow another little boy to stand in line in front of him. As I watch the kids in the older group stuff themselves into the bathroom to say a prayer before the play begins. As I watch a older student help a younger student whose cup of water had spilled onto his plate during the cast party. As someone walks off stage and says "I did it". I learn so much from each one of them.

I sat on the quiet stage tonight during the intermission, thinking about the play, looking around at the set in the half dark, listening to the crowd as they enjoyed themselves. It's amazing how it all comes together, how the kids will pull it all together if you give them the confidence with which to do it. Is it always perfect - no way. I never know what is going to happen on that stage once it's a performance. Lines as missed, cues are missed, set pieces fall over, and one night we even had a group of 4 and 5 year olds argueing on stage about whether they were supposed to go off or stay on. Buit when a little five year old who is very quiet walks on that stage and says her line loud enough for everyone to hear, or when they finally get a song that they had trouble with, when someone walks off that stage with a look of confindence knowing they they did it, that makes all the work and worry worth it. It's something I can't even put into words, knowing that they have grown and gained a little bit of confidence that will help them in their life. I don't feel like I gave it to them, only that I am able to provide a way for them to find it in themselves.

Tonight I had one of my "old" students come to watch the play. She gave me a big hug and we talked a little before the show. She is in college now, which seems amazing that so many years have gone by, yet we still have that friendship. Those relationships mean so much to me. When I go places and see the kids that I have worked with, my heart is full. When I am standing back stage lining kids up to go on stage and I get hugs from some of them, of when I see them at school or in town and they run up and hug me, my heart it full. When a play ends I miss the kids, I miss the interactions with them. And when they get too old to do the plays I miss being around them, but love watching them grow up.

So, I close another chapter, and take a little break as I prepare for the curtain to open again in January, as we tackle another production, and learn and grow together.