Hi Ho Robin Hood!

Audrey was leaving for Las Vegas to compete in the Miss Vietnam Global Pageant on the 15th, but I had to stay behind so Lauren and Natasha could participate in the final show of their summer musical, Hi Ho Robin Hood.  Besides, I was scheduled for my second "required volunteer" shift at this event and had to prepare a dish for the cast party potluck afterwards.  Despite my penchant for procrastination, I'd signed up on the volunteer sheet pretty early to snatch what was widely considered the easiest shifts – selling telegrams to theater goers who wanted to send break-a-leg wishes to their favorite performers.  I definitely didn't care to volunteer backstage, as I'm rather clumsy and intimidated by the prospect of working with young children that were not my own.  With the number of costume changes in this musical, having an inexperienced helper like me working backstage could be disastrous.  During rehearsals, I've watched Lauren manage five costume changes mostly on her own, as she was one of the older girls in the youth ensemble, playing three minor roles -- royal dancer, peasant girl, and mime at the Nottingham county fair.  Natasha had four costume changes herself!  In one scene, Lauren had to get out of her tambourine dancer dress & flower wreath, change into a flower-child mime costume, and rush back to stage right on beat in the time it took  the company to belt out one and a half measures of a song.  The show's quick pace proved to be more than a bit daunting to me, but all the children were seemingly revved up by their collective theatrical energy and most excelled at being quick-change artists.  Nevertheless, I couldn't see myself offering much help in that hectic environment, and after learning that a young cast member was kicked off the show by the director for eating while in costume, I became convinced I wasn't cut out for supervisory duty backstage.  Working the telegram table, I thought, would be a snap, except that I didn't anticipate being chided by Sophia, the youngest telegrammer, for giving change to a customer.  "You're supposed to sell telegrams, not give our money away!" she intoned with a guilt-inducing stare.  For a minute I was paranoid that Sophia would get me in trouble with the director, but after I chatted her up and we became friends, she apparently forgot to report my "mismanagement" of theater funds.  Telegram sales were terribly slow at first and only began to pick up a bit closer to the matinee's starting time, but at ten minutes pre-show, all the telegrammers had deserted me to take their positions on stage and I was left with three undelivered telegrams.  I was relieved to find out it was perfectly OK to keep them in the theater's coffer until intermission when they could be ferried backstage to the intended recipients.

Lauren in flower-child mime costume

With her favorite telegrammer, Sophia

Natasha was super proud to see her piano teacher, Simon, at the show

 

Doca's family with Natasha at the August 14th matinee

Lauren carrying her little cousin, Gisele

Of all the children's theater programs we've participated in, Newport Theatre Arts Center had the best cast parties by far.  This year it was no exception and after all the children had changed into their street clothes and the handier members of the cast's families had helped out with the set strike, everyone got to enjoy an amazing potluck...  carved roast, a good spread of breads and dips, at least five different salads including my Thai beef salad, which received high marks from two moms, and a grand assortment of delectable desserts.  I would have loved second and even third helpings had we not been in a rush to get home in order to run a few school-related errands for Audrey, who'd probably arrived in her Las Vegas hotel room already by that time.

After a group clean-up, we returned to the theater to watch a wonderful slide show set to music (a live recording of all the songs in the musical) featuring the entire cast in various backstage poses and candid shots.  As we weren't allowed to take pictures during any of the rehearsals or performances, I was thrilled to find out that Ron, the producer, would forward everyone a link for his photos.
  

As the years go by, I discovered that I've become less and less enthusiastic about the happenings in my personal life and more and more devoted to my children's activities.  This could mean one of two things... either my life was getting increasingly staid, or I was naturally slowing down and comfortably settled in my supporting role for the family.  Either way, with four kids enrolled in different activities, something's gotta give!  Audrey did promise to start her driving lessons soon after she came back from Las Vegas, though, so there's a chance I could eventually count on her help.  Maybe (just maybe) I can escape chauffer duty in about a decade or so!