Tech Rehearsal #3

Warming up for the Wednesday night rehearsal...

 Jacob is doing an awesome job playing [the voice of] the plant--Audrey II.  He sits with us in the pit so he can see what the puppeteers are doing and better coordinate his voice with the movements of the plant!

The cast!

Tuesday night rehearsal

I dropped Caeden and Sylvia off at their guitar and cello lessons in Normal tonight, and Jeremy picked them both up while I raced out to the school for tech rehearsal #2.

Setting up the stage/gym/sound system, getting ready for rehearsal...

Makeup application and simultaneous supper in the choir room...

This cast/crew has worked so beautifully together at every rehearsal I've witnessed.  They all love and care about what they're doing and encourage each other and have fun at the same time. So great.

 Seymour and Audrey

Sound guys have a tough job, and everyone is always ready to critique them.

This score is really difficult to read, so I photocopied the entire thing so I could highlight my parts in it.  This particular song is ridiculously difficult for me!

We have one student playing in the pit band. Adam is doing a great job on guitar.

 Spotlight workers!

Break is over

The kids went back to school today after spring break.  I picked the girls up in the middle of their morning to go to the orthodontist.

Dr. B was really cranking things in Annah's mouth today.  I was standing at her feet, and her whole body was moving as he worked in her mouth!  She said it was really hurting.  She also has to go back to wearing her rubber bands 24 hours a day.  Boohoo.

Sylvia just had a retainer check, and gets to go without it a few hours a day now.  She doesn't have to go back for 3 more months.

This evening was the first tech rehearsal for Little Shop of Horrors!   

 Getting director's notes before starting a full show run-through...

 We are so fortunate to have Dr. M playing bass for the show!  He is a dentist in the Chicago area and comes down to stay with Mr. M for the week of the musical each year.  What a gift to Ridgeview to a wonderful professional like him musically supporting the kids!

Sound guys waiting to test mics...

Sylvia sat with me and snapped some photos during the rehearsal of the scenes.

Shannon and the crew, working out some timing...

 Annah is having so much fun playing Chiffon, one of the 3 "street urchin" narrators.

This is her favorite week of the year.  She loves musical so much! 

 There are 4 sizes of the Audrey II plant, each a different type of puppet. They are looking so cool!

Getting some more notes after the first run through...

Running a few scenes/songs again...

Good work, everyone!

(I myself have a lot more practicing to do before the performances!)

Sylvia was missing her orchestra rehearsal tonight because Jeremy was also at the school.  The wrestling banquet for both JH and HS teams was happening this evening.  After it was over, I received this text message from a friend with a son on the JH team.  It made my heart so happy.  I'm so proud of Jeremy and his work building the wrestling program at Ridgeview.  

Red Note

 I was just really thankful for this moment...Caeden and his buddies hanging out at church before the service started this morning.  

After church, Jeremy took us all to lunch at Moe's--the kids choice, mmm!  Then I dropped Sylvia off for a special rehearsal at the ISU CPA. The Sinfonia ensemble has been working on a unique piece by a living composer, who came to work with them on his piece during rehearsal today!

I took Annah to her violin lesson while Sylvia was at rehearsal, then picked everyone up and took them to youth group.  Jeremy picked up Annah and Caeden from youth group and took them home, while I took Sylvia back to the CPA for the concert.

My beautiful girl, ready to make music...

I suppose we look a little alike...

 While most of the kids in Sinfonia didn't enjoy the piece (or even working with the composer, really), it was a good learning opportunity for them.  

They performed it this evening on the first concert of the Illinois State University Red Note New Music Festival.

Testing mouthpieces and a throat

During Caeden's guitar lesson today, the girls and I crossed the hall to the Music Shoppe, and Sylvia tested horn mouthpieces.

Jeremy met us there and listened to a few she had narrowed her choices to.
After his input, he bought her favorite!

Jeremy took the girls shopping at Gordman's, and they found all sorts of cute clothes! 

I took Caeden to Immediate Care, because I was about 99.9% sure he had strep throat;
he was feeling so awful!

Waiting for the results of his strep test...

Yep, it was positive--strep throat!  The good thing about it is that antibiotics help quickly!

We met Jeremy and the girls for a quick supper at Steak 'n' Shake while we waited for the prescription to fill.  (A milkshake is a great way to start healing that ouchy throat!)

Such gifts

 Though it's not finished, this morning Sylvia tried on the dress she and Gram are making.  

Sylvia chose a stretchy knit that is very difficult to work with, so Gram is going to finish it and bring it with her when she comes to visit us next weekend. She also made the necklace and earrings with items she and Sylvia chose together at JoAnn's, and they look so nice with the dress!

Uncle Earl visited last night and was chatting with Caeden about what he is learning at school, since he taught 6th grade for over 40 years.  This morning before we left, Earl dropped off this Roman keystone arch. He had made several of these for his class when he was teaching, and he told Caeden to give it to his social studies teacher.  When we got home, I looked up instructions and Caeden learned how to build it before he gives it to Mr. Kennedy.   So cool!