“Well, then, let’s build a stage! We have the technology and we can get the budget and the manpower!”
This statement came from one very helpful and skilled father.
Our little group of parents and friends wanted to do a show allowing our kids to have a fun summer activity. We were given permission to do it at the Church building as a two-week Summer Camp. That was not the problem. The problem was that our Church building had no stage.
In my mind, I concluded that this was our best chance to make our show a success. If we were to put our children through so much effort learning a show, we had better make it possible for the audience to see it. There really is nothing worse than going to your child's or grandchild’s production only to find that the room is too crowded and you can’t see over the heads of the people in front of you!
So, this Dad called in his troops and built us a stage. Meanwhile, the other Moms and I rehearsed with the 45 children ages 4 to 14, taught them lines and singing, choreographed their dances, made their costumes, and even supervised educational and recess activities for them. We were all having a fun and exciting time, until...
My worst fear became apparent! The plywood stage became a drum when the children walked on it. It only amplified the sound of the kids' footfalls. And I didn’t dare let them dance on it for fear of them falling off!
Obviously, the solution through the ages has been --- elevate the performers on a raised stage OR --- ELEVATE THE AUDIENCE! That was it! We decided to use the plywood platforms to raise the audience in graduated seating sections. The children stayed safe and danced their hearts out all over the gym floor.
The Children’s Musical was a great success and the audience was thrilled to be able to see and hear it all!
"A Successor to the Throne" 2006 Summer Camp in Bel Air, Maryland
RSS Feed