After going back and forth for several months, I decided to let Lia and Ella participate in the summer production of Matilda being put on by our beloved children's theater downtown. This was such a big decision for two main reasons. First, it meant that Lia was going to miss Girls Camp which is a really big deal since it is such an important, annual experience for teenage girls in our church. Secondly, the musical that our children's theater puts on every August is much more than a 3-week commitment. If you choose to participate in this play, you are signing up for a 10-month commitment as a "company member." This means that once the performances are over, you commit to attending a weekly, Saturday rehearsal for the next nine months on top of attending a dance, voice, and acting class on a weekly basis at the children's theater. This is in preparation to fly to Atlanta for MLK weekend in January to attend the Junior Theatre Festival which hosts over 100 children's theaters and performing groups from all over the country in addition to performing a 15-minute version of this musical at several elementary schools in our area in the spring. So, needless to say, it is a massive time and financial commitment. Since Ella really wanted to participate, I allowed her to audition with Lia since I figured that this would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience that these girls (who are six years a part and have very little in common) could share and remember for the rest of their lives.
So after much preparation back in June, the girls both auditioned on June 9th and 10th with call-backs the following weekend. They then both had to wait a painstakingly long, 6 weeks until their first rehearsal on Monday, July 24th. On the first morning of the first rehearsal, they found out that Ella had received the role of Hortensia, the "tough girl" at Crunchem Hall Elementary School who has been in the "chokey" five times. Lia was assigned three different roles of parent, older student, and mechanic. Since she was only a parent in one scene and the mechanic in another scene, she spent the majority of the musical playing an older student in the ensemble. Although this was the first time that Lia had not received a lead or supporting lead role in a NWTL production, she was actually thrilled to be in the ensemble for the first time since it meant that she was able to be in all of the incredible singing and dancing numbers.
The girls gave this theatrical experience their all as they spent 35 hours a week for last three weeks learning all of the blocking, dances, and songs for this epic, children's performance. They then put on two performances on August 12th and one performance on August 13th at the beautiful performing arts center at Auburn Riverside High School. It was so much fun to watch them perform and to see how amazing this production turned out to be. They sang and danced their hearts out and Ella even got to be the only performer who did a cartwheel over a classroom desk! Overall, they had one of the funnest and most memorable experiences of their lives and I am so glad that they were able to share it together!
Ella performing as one of the children in the song, "Miracle," in the opening scene of the musical.
Lia acting as one of the parents in "Miracle."
The little kids being scared to death by the older students while singing, "The School Song."
Ella waving a ribbon while singing, "Hammer."
Ella listening to Nigel during the Chokey scene.
Lia looking fierce while singing the Chokey song.
Lia making spikes in an imaginary chokey.
The little students listening to Miss Trunchbull.
One of the really cool things about this play was all of the lifts that the older actors were taught how to do with the younger children. Lia was assigned to lift Ella during the song, "When I Grow Up."
Lia "flying" Ella around in a circle.
Ella doing stretches while singing, "The Smell of Rebellion."
Ella stretching away with other classmates.
Lia dancing during Phys Ed class.
Lia and the older kids dancing during "The Smell of Rebellion."
Ella yelling at Miss Trunchbull from the top of her desk.
Lia dancing during the awesome song, "Revolting Children."
I was able to go and watch both of the girls' matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday. Ron took the boys to see the evening performance on Saturday, so our family was present at all three performances. Here are Lia and Ella posing together after their first performance.
Ella had four friends come and cheer her on during the first performance on Saturday. Ella, Avery, and Brooklyn (with her little sister) all are friends from her gymnastics team. Her church/school friend, Madelyn, also came with her little sister and family. Here is Ella posing with her gymnastics friends Ella, Brooklyn, and Camden.
Since my good friend, Amy, was going to be in town with her two kids, I bought all of them tickets to come with me to the Saturday matinee show. In addition, we convinced Riley to bring Dominic (our German relative visiting from Vienna, Austria) to join us for the Saturday matinee performance. It was so fun to have all of these people here to cheer on the girls!
I brought two of Lia's closest friends, Sienna and Mollie, to come with me to the Sunday matinee show. In addition, Lia's good friend from elementary school, Rian, came with her mom and her close running buddy, Hope, came with her grandparents and younger brother. Just like with Ella, it was so nice to have these friends there to watch and support Lia!
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