My entire day today has been spent at the Ohio Thespian State Conference. In fact, I am writing this on my iPad from the Adult Hospitality room where the adult directors and chaperones are taking a much-needed break from their charges. This is where I have been from 8:30 this morning and will remain until 12:00 midnight. I am responsible for making sure that the complimentary food and drinks are always stocked for the adults who wander through. I was here from 8:00 until 11:00 last night and will return from 8:30 tomorrow morning until about 2:30.
One good thing about the job that I signed up for this weekend, is that it gave me some time to get some work done. I brought my iPad, school work, and my to-do list and got a lot done. Actually, more than I would if I had just been in my living room all weekend. I even got a big chunk of reading done in a book just for enjoyment.
This has been a busy, exhausting experience and I have learned a few things.
1) Theatre kids are, on average, a great group of kids. They are respectful and energetic and have a lot of talent.
2) Kids in Musical Theatre like to sing. A lot. Everywhere. They find each other in groups and belt out songs in the hallways. They sing songs from their shows, their college auditions (which also happen this weekend), Broadway shows, and current hits.
3) Theatre kids are loud. They have two volumes...loud and asleep. I don't think they even realize how loud and obnoxious they get when they are together and free from constant supervision. (See #2 above)
I am going to be exhausted by the time I wrap up tomorrow, but that is okay. I am getting the opportunity to support my son in his passion. I get to see first-hand that when he is with his theatre friends, I know that he is in a good place. That knowledge is worth the lack of sleep I will be suffering from and my zombie-like appearance on Monday morning.
As a former high school theatre kid and current theatre teacher: we definitely know we are obnoxious..... The thing is we don't always care!!! :D Thanks for volunteering to help out. You are helping to make kids' dreams come true!
ReplyDeleteYour post made me smile. My son was a theater kid from 6th through 9th grades, and I remember the loud halls and the high energy! Musical kids do love singing...everywhere! Good luck with getting a little rest before Monday! Glad you get to see your son participating in a great community!
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't teach theater, I do teach a lot of theater kids and I agree with each of your observations. I've found that a lot of theater kids are also the ones who seem most comfortable with who they are, too. Maybe that's because among teenagers, they're the ones who also practice putting themselves in another character's shoes the most. I also think that a positive theater community can let kids bond and have each other's back in a way that also helps kids make sense of their identities and the world around them. Great post!
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