Kids are so Creative

I wasn't going to blog today since I am so busy with the youth drama camp at the local art center, but we had such a terrific day today, I thought I would share a bit and show you one of the posters they created for the show. One of our volunteers who does graphic art added the header, show title and other info, but if the rest of it looks like a kid drew it, well, that's because a kid drew it. In addition to this poster, they made posters to thank all our sponsors, as well as other posters to let folks know about the show. Each one was unique and quite clever.

It has been so terrific to watch the kids use their imaginations to come up with scenes, lines, posters, costumes, set designs. There is a real creative energy that moves through the room and each thought ignites another. It can get pretty chaotic at times, and the camp leaders and I will sometimes have to just call for a moment of absolute silence so we can think. Young people are so much better at thinking in the midst of chaos than us older people. (smile)

This is going to be such a terrific show and I am so proud of all the kids.

Drama Camp and More

This is the first week of the Summer Drama Camp at the Winnsboro Center for the arts, and since I am in charge of theatre events there, that means I will be there every day for the next two weeks. That won't leave much time for blogging, so I will schedule a few posts in advance, but otherwise I'll be taking a blogging break.

Before I go, however, I have to rant just a bit at Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboy Franchise for how they have responded to Josh Brent, who is charged with killing a teammate, Jerry Brown Jr. Brent, who is now in jail after failing two drug tests, is still on the Cowboy roster and still receiving his salary. How many ways is that wrong? 

Too many.

On the other side of the news coin is something good for fighting cancer. Since the introduction of the vaccine for human papillomavirus, there has been a 50% drop in infection rates among girls and young women in the U.S. The virus is a major contributor to the incidence of cervical cancer, so this is good news indeed.

The vaccine has been made available to women and young girls in Africa, thanks to the Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon initiative sponsored by a collaboration among the Susan G. Komen foundation, the George W. Bush Institute, the U.N. Programme on HIV/AIDS and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS relief. The initiative has provided life-saving treatment for more that 5 million women in developing countries.

How many ways is that right?

Now I will leave you with a joke.

Little girl:  "Why does your son say, 'Cluck, cluck, cluck?'"
Mother:    "Because he thinks he's a chicken."
Little girl:  "Why don't you tell him he's not a chicken?"
Mother:    "Because we need the eggs."

Monday Morning Musings

I am really behind in keeping up with some of the news. For instance, I did not know there are thousands do "fan girls" who feel sorry for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the man accused of the bombings at the Boston Marathon.

Really? I thought it was a joke when I first read the news item.

Why are so many young girls, and grown women, attracted to such bad boys? According to one columnist, Charlotte Adams, "women are chronically attracted to the bad boys because they want to reform them, or minister to their wounds, or be the healing presence they've never had - but mostly because they find them sexy."

Sexy? What does that say about our society?

On a much more positive note. We are in the last week of rehearsal for our annual Nite of Comedy at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts, where I have had the pleasure of working with some talented young people. The group has brainstormed and written some funny skits, and we will be doing a bit of improv, as well.

Hey, Dude. You are too happy to be singing the blues.

I love working with these kids and look forward to the Summer Drama Camp which will start on July 8th. Some of these young people took the stage for the first time at the camp, and it has been such fun watching them grow and mature as actors. The only problem is, they do grow up, graduate from high school, and then go away to college.

That said, I think you will understand why my posts over the next couple of weeks will be short, and hopefully sweet. There are lots of admin things to take care of for the show this coming Saturday, as well as the drama camp, and I do need to slot some time for working on my next book. Not to mention the big family gathering we will have on the Fourth of July as I celebrate my birthday and the birthday of the U.S.A.

Summer Drama Camp

I'm back and glad to be back to my normal routine, although normal may start tomorrow and a nap may happen later today.

The two-week summer Drama Camp concluded this weekend with two performances, one Saturday evening and one Sunday afternoon. Then we had the cast party, followed by a quick meeting to debrief with all the camp leaders and make some plans for next year. Yes, we start thinking about next year right away.

Here are a few pictures from the show. We had some incredibly talented young people who did make-up and parents and grandparents who came up with amazing costumes.

L-R: Mother Nature, Pacha, Alligator and Tree

A Rapping Elephant and a Valley Girl Parrot

El Tigre and Elephant

Some of the Festival Kids

One of the biggest thrills for me during the camp was seeing some of the young people who have been with the Young Players for years who were able to step up to leadership roles as stage managers. Wow. For the first time in seven years, I did not have to be in the back herding kids on and off stage.

It was also so neat to see some of the more reluctant players really shine on stage. The young lady who played the tree had a real breakthrough in this production and played her role superbly.  She had some very funny lines that she delivered with great comedic timing and she was the most believable tree I have seen on stage. I had been working with her for years to get her to understand what "being in character" means, and the proverbial light-bulb went off during the camp. I am so proud of her.

I'm also so proud of the rest of the cast who all did such a great job. The audiences loved the show and there was a lot of magic in Winnsboro this weekend. Kudos to all the kids and the young man who led the camp and directed the show.

Friday's Odds and Ends

Keeping it short today - was going to say this morning, but it is almost noon here in Central Time, USA. Somehow the morning got away from me, as Friday mornings often do.

Today has been busier than ever because we have dress rehearsal tonight for the Nite of Comedy that I directed and produced at the art center here in my small town. I used to be involved with theatre groups that had full production staffs, and that was so much easier. The director simply had to direct. There was a stage manager, a producer, a house manager, and a tech manager. Here, I do most of this with some help from my stage moms - what would I do without them - as well as some help from other volunteers at the center. However, it is still my responsibility to coordinate most of that.

So this morning I have been distracted with little jobs that still need to be done before we can open tomorrow night.

The upside of all this is the fun I have with the actors, especially my young players who are so creative. They wrote some of the skits for the show and keep coming up with ideas to add another layer of comedy to one of them. Watching them reminds me of when my kids were young and would put on shows. One idea would spur another and another, until they had something fun and entertaining.

Here are a few shots from last year.

James Monk Ryann Williams and Kennedie Williams (standing)

My grandson, Justin. Awesome actor if I say so myself. LOL

L-R: Hunter Williams, Ashton Cantu, Cassia Rose

Me and my talented son, Paul Miller, singing some of Grandpa's silly songs.

Enjoy... I'm signing off to do the playbill for tomorrow night.