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Fifteen+ Years Between Visits to Broadway

8/12/2022

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During the summer when I was 17, freshly out of High School with a brand new driver’s license, I drove my aunt Janie from Ohio to New York City in a little VW bug.  The adults in my life had more faith in my driving skills than I did, or maybe they were just naive.  I had barely any experience driving on a highway, let alone on a freeway, and definitely NO experience driving in a crowded city.  (No parent I know today would agree to that!)  Somehow we made it and parked Uptown at an apartment house where we stayed with Janie’s friends.  We were there to go see Broadway shows.

We rode the Subway and buses, but mostly we walked.  The Theater District in those days was pretty run down and raunchy.  I felt like such a hick from the sticks.  My aunt was downright embarrassed that she was allowing me to see such terrible sights.  She had lived in New York for a time in the 1940s and 1950s.  It was the hey day of Broadway with wonderful musicals that anyone could feel comfortable seeing.  Not so for us.  We saw “Pippin,” and a show starring Debbie Reynolds, and a couple of others that we almost walked out of. Unfortunately, in the early 1970’s Broadway was almost dead.
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Over the years, probably due to Disney shows, “Les Miserable,” and “Phantom of the Opera,” Broadway was revitalized with many more family friendly shows. Early in its opening run, my girls and I ran up to see “Wicked” with the original cast.  We lived near Baltimore at that time, so we drove up and back in one day.  Here it is at least 15 years later, and I got to take my daughter and her 5 daughters to see “Wicked.”  Same show, same theater, same excitement from the audience.  Different cast, of course, but very good performances.
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I am always so delighted at the consistency the producers strive to achieve to keep a show running for so long.  And they utilize a live pit orchestra and conductor.  It is so nice to feel the vibrations from the music of live musicians.

I appreciate how difficult the situation has been for the performers who couldn’t work when Broadway was shut down due to COVID.  Now that shows are up and running again, I am certain they worry that they can keep audiences coming.  They had just barely reduced the mask mandate in the theater when we went the other day.  The next day they sent out a survey asking the patrons if they felt safe attending the show and if all of the precautions they had in place made a difference.  I actually didn’t notice any precautions, or people acting worried.  Then they asked if we would be returning soon to see more shows.

Well, I live in Utah.  I hope I don’t have to wait another 15 years before I get to visit NYC again. But until then, I am glad that live theater in Utah is up and running and every bit as professional and amazing as what I just saw on Broadway.  And we don’t have to expose ourselves to questionable fumes when waiting to get into the theaters! Yay!
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New Version of an Old Favorite

7/30/2022

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Some friends and I attended the Sundance Summer Theater production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" last night.  The mountain setting was delightful.  There was a lot to enjoy about the production, especially the dancing, but I must confess I hardly recognized the show.  The story line and songs had been completely reworked to be a rather far departure from the original.  (I wonder where that renovated script and score came from? There was no mention in the program credits.)

What is always interesting to me in watching a live production of a fantasy show is how will they achieve the MAGICAL EFFECTS.  It was fun to watch the Fairy Godmother's and Cinderella's dresses change from rags into beautiful glittering gowns.  It was also fascinating to watch how the actors moved around the set pieces throughout show to change the scenes.  That was pretty magical, as well, but watching the maneuvering made me tense and nervous.
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Early in my experience doing live theatrical shows, I had an unfortunate accident involving the "movable" stairs of the set.  Watching how the dramatic curved staircases were positioned last night and how the cast members moved around all over them brought back memories of my accident. 

In my case, the crew had not moved the set pieces close enough together for a child to negotiate the gap between sections.  One of my legs slipped through the gap and on the way down I got all scraped up.  Fortunately, I caught myself so I didn't fall all the way down to the stage level.  My fall was on the way out of the scene so some crew people were able to rescue me and quickly apply bandaids before I had to get into the next scene.  "The show must go on" and all that, you know.  But my 9-year-old self was pretty traumatized.

Watching the large staircases last night kept me in a state of apprehension.  Oh, how I hoped the crew members would hit all of their marks and get the set pieces locked into place so the actors wouldn't have troubles.  Fortunately, there were no accidents and I was able to finally relax at the end of the show.

(But I still wonder why they felt they had to so drastically rework the script...This new version was not the old favorite I remember.)
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Successful Successor 2022

7/12/2022

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It was tenuous for a time, but the show went on as planned. "A Successor to the Throne" Summer Theater Camp 2022. We had many troubles along the way, but somehow we forged onward and came out on top.  Never before had I had a Summer Theater Camp beset with so many problems.  We had to basically recast the show six different times due to people signing up, then pulling out, or just not showing up during Camp.  Then we had last minute illness that took two girls completely out of the performance.  Fortunately, we had a couple of other girls who could quickly fill in their essential parts.

All in all, the performance went well.  We did have some potentially disastrous costume malfunctions, though, such as shoelaces coming untied, actors running out with their costume pieces on inside out, or one poor kid who didn't have his outer coat because another kid went out in the wrong costume. The kids went on anyway like troupers and stayed in character.  Apparently, the audience didn't notice those things.

From the audience perspective, they told me that all they saw was a polished show with a wonderful message and singable songs. They were so blown away by how the children seemed to know exactly what to do and when to do it.  In their eyes, the show flowed seamlessly. The parents and grandparents who sought me out told me that they simply could not believe how we could get kids to learn such a lot in such a sort time - 2 short weeks with so many very young children!  One woman told me that she had never seen such a polished children's theater production even in the well-funded community theaters in our town.  She loved "A Successor to the Throne" a retelling of the Chinese Folk Tale "The Empty Pot."

​One comment I especially appreciated.  The mother said that she loved the song at the end where the Emperor sang about comparing the potential of a seed to the potential of a child.  She said that made her cry.

​So glad that the message came through!
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Never a Dull Moment

5/28/2022

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The man next to me on the plane just barely made his connection.  He was a little flustered mentioning that he hoped his luggage also made it onto the plane.  I just nodded and smiled.  I didn't want to say how annoyed I was that the plane had already been delayed twice.  Oh well.  That guy was talkative and went on to tell me that he and his wife were on their way to babysit their first grandchild while the parents took a short vacation.  He said how delighted his wife was to jump at the chance to see their new granddaughter.

I mentioned that I was discovering how being a grandmother was a full-time occupation, but I didn't really give any details.  He nodded. (I make it a policy not to say I have 25 grandchildren.  That is a sure fire way to end a  conversation.)  I just told him that I was returning home from an action-packed two weeks visiting my daughter's family in Pennsylvania. 

​He didn't need to know that each day was packed with rehearsals, concerts, baseball games, graduation activities, and so much more.  My grandchildren (7 of her 8 children still at home) in that family were involved in doing a lot!!!!!!!  I always feel that I get a real bang for my buck as a grandma when I go visit them.  
Fun stuff included Elementary, Middle School and High School Band and Chorus concerts, an assembly where the High School Indoor Percussion ensemble and Jazz Choir performed,  Seminary Graduation where my granddaughter sang a solo, my daughter's Piano Students' Recital, the D.C. Temple Open House and so much more!

There was never a dull moment!

But probably the time my grandma heart was filled to overflowing was hearing their Family Band play Leroy Anderson's "Fiddle Faddle" at the Recital. The older kids have been playing in bands for several years. (However, Makayla picked up a new instrument - Alto sax - just to fill in the middle part.)  But the younger ones are just beginning to learn their instruments.  Maya (trumpet) is 10 and Thomas (drums) is 7.  The High School band teacher who attended the Recital was impressed that little Thomas could already play swing!

Enjoy this little clip.
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Children's Musical Done by a Large Cast

4/22/2022

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Last night I went to see yet another production of "Seussical, the Musical."  I have seen many productions of this show and, I admit, that I usually come away very disappointed. I think the problem has been that the Elementary School shows, even doing the Junior version, just don't have the singing, dancing and acting capability to  do it justice.  The songs are pitched way too low or require too wide of singing ranges for most young children's voices.  And the Community Theater shows done by mostly adults may have the singing, dancing, and acting chops, but just lack the believability factor.

But the show I saw last night was actually the most enjoyable production of this show I have seen yet. They had enough trained singers and dancers to pull this show off in clever ways.  The cast was incredibly large, probably close to 100 young children and teenagers, from ages 5-15!

The company that produced the show offers year-round training classes in dancing, singing, and acting.  The Musical is the culmination of a year's worth of training activities.  It also helped that the show was presented in a professional theater with state-of-the-art lighting and sound.  Each of the characters speaking or singing solos had their own dedicated lavalier mic. That ensured that the lines and songs were heard clearly.  The lighting effects on the whimsical sets were magical.  But it was the costuming that blew me away.  I am sure that over the years, this company has collected costumes for every shape and size of body imaginable.  They were colorful and bright, even sparkly, and quite believable as Dr. Seuss characters.  (Really! What Elementary school production could possibly afford fanciful colored wigs for 50+ actors?)

My granddaughter and I came to the show as invited by my young friend who had a lead role.  We were very impressed with how enjoyable the production was.  This was the first time I actually got choked up by the sweet ending.  It was so nice to finally see a version that had a range of characters that were believable.  Sometimes it is hard to feel the innocence of a children's story when done strictly by adults or older kids.  Because this production had the "littles" and the "bigs," the play between the Who's that live on the speck of dust and the larger animals living in the Jungle of Nool was actually believable.  

Kudos to this cast and crew!
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Priming the Audience

2/19/2022

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Often people attending a show or concert are not aware of proper AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE.  When to laugh, when to applaud, and when to be patient and quiet.  I have seen entire paragraphs ing concert programs dedicated to how the audience should behave during an orchestra concert.  The people who attend Children's Theater can benefit from learning good AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE as well.

Some of the most brutal audiences are those of Middle School students, especially if they are watching their peers trying to perform.  They may think they are being encouraging to their classmates by laughing loudly, randomly applauding or calling out their names.  But when they shout out during the performance, it only distracts the poor actors on stage.  It disrupts their concentration and doesn't allow them to hear their music cues.  Many of these student actors may be in their FIRST EVER PERFORMANCES.  Their nerves are already at HIGH ANXIETY, and the heckling from the audience just makes them retreat into uncomfortable shyness.  A Children's Musical is not a basketball game!

How to tackle this problem?  Unfortunately, it takes patience and many tries.  The Director may come out before the show to explain things.  He may mention that in order to help the actors give a great show, they NEED TO BE A GOOD AUDIENCE.  He may have them practice different kinds of laughing --- polite giggles, surprised delight, wholehearted guffaws.  But he should always have the audience practice quick SILENCES so that the scene isn't disrupted.  The same with applause --- there is a difference between sincere appreciation (the polite clapping between scenes) and insanely raucous clapping, whistling, and yelling at the Finale.  A wise Director may have the audience practice appropriate STOPPING and momentary SILENCES explaining that this part of their job is very important to supporting the actors.  (In a school setting, it may be wise to get the teachers to help prepare the student body before they see the show.)

It takes as much practice for an audience to learn ETIQUETTE as the actors do to learn acting skills and deportment.  Many schools do not have the budget to afford all of the expensive sound and lighting equipment to properly run a show in a large auditorium.  They may not have budget to get beautiful sets or costumes.  They may have a student population that has never had access to doing arts of any kind -- no art or dance training or voice lessons.  The kids and their parents may have never had any opportunities like this before and just don't know what it takes for their kids to be involved or how long it takes to put on a show. 

Though it's true that a good show can be achieved on a modest budget, it has no hope of success if it is sabotaged by a rude audience.  AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE is key to helping pull off an entertaining Children's Theater show!
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Simple Steps to a Good Program

12/6/2021

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What goes into making a good program?  Even events such as a Community or School concert or even a Christmas party for the Church congregation, would benefit by following certain tried and true steps.  After all, you don't want to lose your audience.

​I have attended several community and school concerts and several Primary Presentations these last couple of months and have also been to two Ward Christmas parties so far in December.  The people who planned these events could have used some coaching as to how to put on a successful program.

Just like attending a Theatrical show, audiences nowadays expect certain production standards.  That means, they want to be able to UNDERSTAND the speaking and singing, SEE everything clearly, and FIND ENJOYMENT in the experience. People are not ignorant.  They can tell when the planners and performers have adequately prepared.  (There is nothing worse than having your audience walk out partway through the event!)

​1.  Planning and Preparation
     Obviously, not all performances are equal.  (And they need not be to have a successful event.)  For example, not all school or community bands have top-notch talent.  Not every ward is blessed with people with musical or artistic talents.  But they can be well-prepared!  That's why planning by a committee is so helpful.  Together, the committee people can offer ideas and take stock of resources that the director alone may not be aware of.  Despite COVID anxieties, good planning and adequate preparation can guarantee a successful event. 
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However, there really is no audience with enough patience and graciousness to accept ill-prepared children singing a song grossly out of tune!  Please don't expose your audience to that trying to pass it off as "entertainment."  Just because someone wants the opportunity to perform, doesn't mean that they should.  Some performances are best reserved for private family parties.

2.  Set up (physical facilities)
        Know your venue.  Set up tables and chairs for a good flow --- such as for getting food and eating, for visiting, for seeing the show, etc.  Locate and have enough microphones for the performers or speakers.  Try out the lighting before the arrival of guests.  Have adequate lights for the pianist or other musicians.  Make sure any other tech devices (audio/visual) WORK -- well before beginning the activity.

3.  Timing and Movement
        Be aware of how much time the different aspects of the event will take.  Don't waste time in unnecessary movement or set up between "acts."  Make timing and movement maps and stick to the plan!  Guests will get "antsy" if they perceive the activity lagging or going on too long.  Many just get up and leave.

4.  Story Arc and Supporting a Theme
      Having a THEME is very useful to keeping the audience engaged.  It guides their thinking and expectations.  Be mindful of following a story arc --- have a clear beginning, middle, and end --- hopefully with a proper climax in the right place. 

Follow these guidelines and you too will have a successful event!
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The Show Must Go On!

8/7/2021

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Our Friday Dress Rehearsal was pretty dismal.  The change in winds brought smoke to our valley that made doing anything outside uncomfortable and downright dangerous.  I sent the children home admonishing them to stay indoors and pray that another change in the winds might blow the smoke away for our show today.  AND IT DID!!!

Today we had a great show!  The children came prepared and were very excited.  The 140 people crowded into my backyard also brought a lot of energy and were such a wonderful audience.  They clapped and laughed and cheered at all the right places.  That helped the children give a very fun performance.  It was our best show yet and we had NO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES!!!  YAY!
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Here are some of the pictures of this cute "The Tale of Chicken Licken" Summer Camp 2021 cast. We had a surprise guest artist in our show today.  My little 4-year-old granddaughter just needed to be on stage.  (She had been here all Camp because her mother was helping me.)  So we dressed her in a yellow costume and told everyone she was a canary.  See if you can pick her out on the front row.  She did the whole show today and even followed a lot of the actions.  (Pretty good for not really joining us for any rehearsing.)
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The Bluebirds Trio
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The Sly Old Fox
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The Duck Family
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The Chicken Family with little "mascot" Avery our 4-year-old "canary"
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Panorama

7/4/2021

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The Fourth of July fireworks can be so exciting --- especially for the very young or those very in love.  I have witnessed firsthand some fantastic fireworks shows and what made them even more exciting was when I was there with the one I loved or I was at a new place experiencing the grandeur for the very first time.  Okay, young lovers don't need a lot of help enjoying fireworks.  They make their own!

I will never forget being on the Mall in Washington D.C. between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument one 4th of July in the mid 1970's.  I was there visiting a friend who left her baby with her husband just so she could take me to see this once in a lifetime experience.  We took the mass transit from her apartment and then walked the rest of the way (I thought it must have been 3-4 miles!).  We had to crowd ourselves in with the masses of people who had had the same idea.  But it was worth it!
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Another memorable 4th of July was when I was performing in  a children's trio on a show called "Panorama."​  My two aunts Janie and Dot Thompson were in charge of directing this huge community production held at the BYU stadium in about 1961.  In those days, different Church Stakes were charged with making this show happen for the Provo City celebration.  After the show, there were big fireworks.  (That tradition is alive and well in today's Freedom Festival at Provo, UT and the Stadium of Fire.)

I remember three parts of that show when I was six years old. 

The first was rehearsing with what seemed like hundreds of other children to make our entrance onto the stage.  The band played "The  March of the Siamese Children" as we came onto the stage and bowed to the audience.  I think we were part of a panorama of recent hits from Broadway shows such as "The King and I." 

The second part was being in the big finale number and singing the the first verse with Tanya and Cory with the solo spotlight just on us.  Then, the number grew bigger and bigger to the grand finish and the standing ovation --- my first Standing "O."  Okay, I was just a small part of the number, but it gave me legitimate bragging rights. 

​The third thing I remembered was that on the show just before our big finale number, a little known group called the Osmond Brothers performed.  Later when they became famous, I still had the memory of upstaging them on that Panorama show.

Of course, the best part of any of these shows was being almost directly under the fireworks.  I love looking up at the fireworks.  It is still exciting to me.  Unfortunately, it is harder and harder to get that coveted front row seat for the fireworks.  I guess the best way is to be in the show.
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Everything's Coming Up Roses

6/28/2021

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Today is June 28th, my mother's birthday.  She loved roses.  I remember how she couldn't wait for June because that was when her roses bloomed.  I watched how she lovingly tended her roses, made cuttings and arranged them for table decorations, and even sprayed rose scented perfume around the house.  Pink roses were her favorites.  Mom loved how roses were a symbol of how hopeless situations can change for the better.
One of the first musicals I ever performed in was "Gypsy."  This was at a tiny little community theater in Pasadena, Texas.  It was our first summer in Texas and my mother decided we should get involved in the community somehow.  She had 8-year-old me audition, and that's when the director discovered my mom's piano skills.  She was hired to accompany the show on the spot.

I didn't get a big part. I was just one of the many kids in the first scene.  Yet, all of us extras had to stay until the curtain call at the end of the show.  Because of questionable content in the second act, we were NOT allowed to watch the show.  So we stayed outside in back playing board games at the picnic tables.  We could hear the songs, though, and believe me, we learned them all!
PictureCarolyn Thompson Lee at the piano
One song in particular has stuck with me because it still reminds me of my mother.  In the show, the stage mother was always trying to build up her daughters' act.  She tried to be upbeat and encouraging, saying, "Curtain up!  Light the lights!  You've got nothing to hit but the heights.  Starting here, starting now, baby, everything's coming up roses!"

My mother was great at encouraging people and building their talents.  She certainly made sure I had songs prepared for any occasion and was right there to play for me any time I was asked to sing.  And I wasn't the only one.  She made herself available to help out anybody who needed her coaching help and accompanying support.  She could make even those with slim talents look good.

​How I miss her positive energy and immense talents!  Happy Birthday, Mom!
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    My name is Betsy Bailey.  I have sung, written and taught music all of my life.  I enjoy writing and directing Children's Theater shows.  This blog will be directed to topics on creating the magic of Children's Theater.  I would love to hear your comments!

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