Right after the new year, rehearsals started with "their kids." This year's cast ended up being only 26 kids strong, but they are all very talented. Joyce was carrying a full load at college, and was between jobs, so she could spend some of her time at the theatre as well.

Once on This Island opened to fair-sized but very appreciative crowds on a rainy weekend.  The kids were awesome! What a wonderful, tender, funny, tearful story. Of course Ana cried. Every night. At right, a picture of the staff of Island at an opening night party.

Once on This Island ended, and the kids went on to other shows and activities. It was such a wonderful show, and stayed quite awhile at number one on a Top 10 list on a website of local shows performing in the greater bay area.

After Island closed, they lost their dear friend and vocal director "Mom" (pictured above). She was taken suddenly from the theatre community, so they were all blessed that she had had such a wonderful experience working with the Island kids, and that they performed so well as a tribute to her.
 

Shows they've seen with or starring friends: The Wiz at a local high school - one of their kids from a previous junior production was Evillene in this one; Batboy - they knew 5 members of this cast; Crowns - a wonderful gospel and rap story of a young girl from Brooklyn who goes to live with her grandma in the South - Ana saw it with her mom; Camelot - Ana went to see this one night when Joyce had other activities - she knew 4 people in the cast, one of whom was in Assassins with her.   
 

On the last days of the month, they took a short break from the weary days of work, between quarters at school, and went to their favorite happy place. They spent a few hours visiting with their stage manager from Joyce's very first show - he now works at the park, and they reconnected with him. The crowds were heavy, since it was the beginning of spring break, but they rode all the rides they needed to, and generally enjoyed the ambience of the Park.

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