Just when the leaves drop from the trees in North Florida, there’s a special blooming taking place on the stages of schools all over the city. An abundance of fall musical theater presentations took place over the weekend. It is a delight and honor to witness the progress of our students.
In the opening number, a lithe twelfth grader smoothly pirouettes downstage.
You remember his mother dragging him into dance class in middle school. “I keep telling him he does not dance enough,” she proclaims. The kid keeps his head down and shifts his weight. I can read the thought bubble over his head. (“Oh, Mom!”)
There’s a combination of exhaustion and glee, plus flowers from Publix in their crinkly wrappers tucked under the chairs of parents who could maybe use a Red Bull or a glass of wine or both.
Anyone who thinks a kid has arrived to opening night on his own doesn’t understand the amount of sweat equity the whole family unit puts in to get there. But those teaching artists working in the trenches see you. We understand your vigilance is what gets each student into the room.
Hats off to you!