weekend #1

ACCORDING TO THE AUDIENCE:

The show...two nights in a row...went off without a hitch.

A few people might have noticed characters were played by different people in Act 1 vs. Act 2 but most didn't even notice that.

The kids were amazing.

Absolutely amazing.

Never seen anything like it.

A few pics from dress rehearsal...that did NOT go off without a hitch.

Lots of hitches actually, but the good news is we got them all out of the way..

BACKSTAGE:

(sing the following to "I've got a river of life flowin' out of me")

We've got a river of PUKE flowing through the halls.

Spreads through the whole cast

Makes everyone gag.

Virus follows home

Infecting everyone.

We've got a river of PUKE flowin' through the cast.

SPRING UP oh PUKE.

(gush gush gush gush)

And cause utter chaos.

SPRING UP oh VOMIT.

(splish! splash!)

And make us ga, a, ag.

SPRING UP oh VIRUS

(yee haw!)

and let us share,

This nasty,

Abundantly.

 A stomach bug that has affected 18 cast/family of cast members, that I know of,  swept through our OPENING WEEKEND.

There was an actor (only one of the main ones) who either had the stomach virus or had a reaction to several medications he was on for pneumonia lost his dinner in several directions, in between his parts.

I kid you not, HE NAILED his parts.

Not a soul knew that kid was violently vomiting backstage between his parts.

He ended up in the ER later that night with IV's of fluid and all kinds of fun drugs.

OPENING NIGHT.

A mom also ended up in the ER with chest pains

OPENING NIGHT.

(she's ok!)

I heard of three people watching the show that ended up puking in the bathrooms.

OPENING NIGHT.

Night two of opening weekend we got this message from our director:

We have all been exposed.

Unless your child has a fever or is actively vomiting, they need to be there.

She didn't say, 'If you were up ALL NIGHT LONG with Samantha because she's six and still doesn't make it to the bathroom when she vomits....seven times...then you don't have to come'....

ugh.

poor baby.

(it's Sunday now and at 4pm Sophie went down for the count too)

So, Lydia and I went.

All zombied out.

There were literally kids lined up in dark cool rooms with their heads between their knees, moms mopping up vomit from carpets/walls/floors as fast as possible to get rid of the smell so no one would sympathy puke, sitting back stage with buckets in their laps waiting for their turn on stage, heading home midshow because they just couldn't go on, character changes happening all over the place 

(which put the directors, actors, costumes and make up all in a state of controlled chaos)

and psychotic laughter amongst the moms backstage.

I am doing my best to describe this, but people....you just had to be there.

'er....be thankful you were NOT.

Lydia was amazing.

She was keenly aware of what was going on around her, my heart was so worried for her, she was nervous, but she did her 'BEST FOR GOD! AMEN!' (a prayed/chant that she does at dance)

Her daddy and I are so proud of her.

The make up happened...although my recollection of it is a little hazy.

I cannot put into words the bravery and focus that this cast of 64 KIDS displayed.

I am inspired. Humbled. Honored. Proud.

I will remember this weekend for as long as my memory lives.

The Lord will use this weekend in the hearts of everyone a part of the show for a very long time.

I can't wait to see how!