Happy Feet

The last couple of days have been insane. We've been working hard with the kids' program, which has been going infinitely better than last week, and even harder with the senior cast. Things are finally starting to get memorized and solidified, and most of the characters are beginning to develop further, which is so great to watch. I think the staff is also starting to fall into a nice rhythm. I feel like people know better where we all fit in and how we can all work together to make this program and this show the best it can possibly be. I am feeling much more positive about how this is working out than I did four days ago.

Dario and Hannah have been working on a Cabaret to raise money for Far Corners and to give people some more performance opportunities while we're here. I'm pretty nervous about it, but I think it will be good for me to sing in public. Plus, Hannah's working on songs for everyone, and she has convinced Katherine, Anna, and me to let her teach us how to belt. Wish me luck!

Yesterday was extremely long. We had the little ones all day, so by 4:00 (my time to work with them...) they were very restless. We have some very attitude-ish kids in there, too. I don't particularly like kids with attitudes, and I don't put up with those attitudes very well, but we managed to get some work done.

For the first time in my life I made a kid cry yesterday. But he is 13, and he kind of deserved it. He and his 11 year old cousin each act about three years younger than you actually are, and the 13-year-old has the biggest attitude I've probably ever encountered. He's a know-it-all, pretentious kid that I just don't mesh well with. So yesterday during my rehearsal they were being extremely disruptive, and after asking them to stop about four times, I looked at the older one and said, "Come on, knock it off. Come on, dude, you're 13." And it made him cry. So when they younger one kept bugging him after that I yelled at him and sent him to the other side of the room. Am I turning into the mean staff member at Far Corners?

Last night was movie night, which actually turned out to be a lot of fun! I sat in the back with Katherine, Laila, Dario and a bunch of other older people. The younger ones got the vote to watch Happy Feet, however, so most of the movie-watching experience was just mocking for us. Not a bad night for those of you who know how much I love to mock terrible movies! Then a whole bunch of us walked back to town together, and as per usual, almost died by getting run over by cars and motorcycles.

On the subject of "happy feet," Dario has begged me to include some soft shoe during "Pick a Pocket or Two" for him as Fagin. Done.