JANUARY | 2 0 0 9 | ||
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. |
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FEBRUARY | |||
Ana and Joyce were busy with rehearsals most of the month, but
were able to catch one show starring several of their friends,
Will Rogers Follies. What a wonderful show, and
their dear friend Greg was fabulous as Will.
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. |
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MARCH | |||
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. |
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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. |
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One of their theatre friends also performs in a jazz band as it's lead
singer. The gals went to see them perform at the Hard Rock on Pier 39, and
had a wonderful time.
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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