Spring Performances

Anna as Little Red Riding Hood

Anna recently made her debut in two performances:  Doo Wop Little Red Riding Hood and a piano recital with her new piano teacher.  While it was not quite a Broadway production or Carnegie Hall, Anna gained valuable experience performing before an audience, albeit a limited one.

Anna participated in the drama club at school, which is run by the Harmonia music and arts school where she has attended some camps.  The cast consisted of 13 kids ranging from first grade to fifth grade.  After auditions (Anna sang Hark the Herald Angels Sing for her audition number) she got the part of Little Red Riding Hood.  The drama club met for 1 hour each week for 10 weeks.  By the end of it, Anna decided she didn't like it anymore because the teacher was always telling them to stop talking and they only had a small snack (it really is all about the snack).  She also decided that she did not like the part where Little Red Riding Hood had to lay on the floor because the kids were stepping on her.  As a result, the teacher split the part between Anna and her friend Kate (apparently Kate did not have an issue with the floor scene).

At long last, performance day arrived.  A very weary drama teacher emerged to to tell the audience that the kids had worked very hard, but had limited time to practice and didn't really know their lines, so they reduced the production to two scenes.  The teacher then whispered to the audience, "they are not very good, but please clap anyway."  This was going to be interesting.
Anna with her friend Leo and his sister Clara after the show

We could see why the teacher was weary.  The kids knew the first song, including Anna who had a solo (she nailed it).  There was also choreography which involved a kick line (a lot can go wrong with that).  Kids were kicking different ways, but major injury was averted.  After that, very few kids knew their lines, leaving the teacher or one of the students (Ava) to poke the kids and whisper lines to them.  One boy decided just to do a somersault on stage when he couldn't remember his line (it did garner applause).  The production was definitely memorable.  We are fairly certain that the teacher could be found at a bar afterwards.

The next week was Anna's first piano recital with her new teacher, Mrs. Brauer.  Mrs. Brauer knows how to run a recital with 10 students done in 30 minutes.  Anna performed two pieces and was very happy to be joined by her friends from next door, Sumay and Argin who played before her.  Anna celebrated afterwards with frozen yogurt from Zinga...always a treat.

Anna's next show will be the school Spring Fling, which will be held May 2 in conjunction with Grandparent's Day at school.  The theme:  a Beetles tribute.  Stay tuned for more details on the performance.
  
Anna, Argin & Sumay after the recital

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