February 20, 21, 2015

Kate was in our community theater- Timpanogas Valley Theater's- production of Sleeping Beauty.

The whole thing started over Christmas Break when I saw an ad for auditions for it.  I mentioned it to Kate.  She wouldn't let me forget it.  The auditions were in early January. 

So I took her to auditions.  I wasn't sure what auctions would entail- but told her that if they asked her to sing that she should sing the "NOEL" song that she had performed in choir.  It was a comical Christmas song with funny voices that she did really cute.  So we went.

They had the kids learn a dance together and then a song together. Then they decided to call them in in small groups to audition.  Kate went in with four other girls.  The first girl went, she sung a Taylor Swift song.  Then they asked Kate if she wanted to sing- and she said "no".  I was confused.  The rest of the girls went.  Each did a fine job.  Then they came back to Kate and asked her again if she wanted to sing, I butted in and said that she did want to sing- then just told her to sing "Noel" like we had discussed.  And so she walked out onto the edge of the stage.  I can remember what she was wearing- a bright orange and pink fleece- with a bright orange headband and her super blond hair all curled.  She looked adorable.  Then she sang- and put on the cutest performance that ever was.  She sang loudly and confidently and made the entire panel of directors smile and giggle. Then she sat down.  As I left a few of the helpers commented at how amazing she had been. It was true.  It was a clear moment of amazingness from Kate.  I almost cried she was so perfectly adorable and confident. They said they would do callbacks as needed.  Kate didn't get a callback, and so I feared she would be cast as a woodland animal or something that would be a lot of time commitment for a small little part.  I also worried she would be cast as some little part because she was one of the youngest and also because it seemed everybody there knew one another all ready- the same kids have been in and out of this theater for a little while.

A few days later they posted the cast list.  And there was Kate's name next to "Young Princess"  Which meant essentially that she would be one of the main characters, and the person which really the entire show revolved around.  I was so excited I called Jake, and then couldn't wait for her to come home from school to show her.

And then practices started.  She practiced a few hours each week.  She made a lot of friends and to be honest so did I- sitting at practice every week.  She would burst through the door from school each practice day and say "Sleeping Beauty Practice!"  She couldn't wait each day.  She got a script and memorized her songs and lines happily.  We got our costumes.

The play was a spin off of Sleeping Beauty.  Where the Young Princess (Kate) who we learn is Sleeping Beauty's daughter- asks the three fairies about a dress she finds.  It is the pink/blue Sleeping Beauty dress, and the fairies proceed to tell the Young Princess bits and pieces of the Sleeping Beauty Story.  To Kate asks questions and then they are answered with the fairies narrating and then a performance of part of the Sleeping Beauty Story.

The week before performance we spent a lot of time at the theater. Extra practices, dress rehearsals.

And every time I sat in the theater one of the directors (there were 6) would come up to me and tell me how amazed they were at Kate.  How she was a natural.  How they couldn't believe she had never done a play before.  How she was so bright and confident.  How she knew how to act somehow without them teaching her.  How the show would be nothing without her and the girl playing Malificent. How she was so talented.  How she was so adorable.  How she was so confident. How she was meant to be up there.  And I beamed from ear to ear, and rather came to like hanging out at the theater!

Then performance weekend came.

I attended every one of the three shows.  The first- and best show Jake and I took all the kids to.  My mom and Dad also came.  She did incredible!  It was her best show.  The next two shows she either forgot one little part or her microphone had a problem for her song.  But the first show was magical.  The next two were also great shows.  My grandparents and her teacher came to see her on Saturday afternoon, and Saturday Night Jake and I sat together in the front row watching her.

Each performance she came away with flowers from everyone, and other little gifts.  We made her sign our tickets for us.  Every show when I talked to those I was sitting by they would ohh and ahhh when I told them my daughter was the young princess.  Each night when she stood center stage and took the last bow in her little purple dress I would tear up.  She was perfect, adorable, confident and bright.  

My favorite parts were so many.  She had the opening line in the play.  She said "How Romantic" and did it in a dreamy exaggerated way that made the entire audience laugh every time.  Actually they usually laughed after most her lines because she was just TOO ADORABLE!  on top of it she looked so much smaller than most the other kids up there- they may have assumed she was a 5 year old and been even more impressed.  Each time the audience would laugh or sigh after one of her lines my heart would swell.    She had a little solo she sang too "When you have a busy busy day, here is how to turn your work to play, here's a little recipe that can't go wrong just sing a happy song" the rest of the song she sang with the three faries.

It was such a wonderful experience for me!  

Before one of her performances I interviewed her.  Where she told me how she loved being the main character and how she might want to be in movies or plays when she grows up.  She has told us time and time again how being in the play is her favorite thing she ever has done.

At the end of it all Jake and I took her to get a cupcake at Kneaders and she just glowed in compliments from us and all those we had heard all week.

I think we will be doing a play with this community theater again.  We had such a wonderful experience and it was so rewarding watching Kate do something she really really loved.