The Song Is Ended, But the Melody Lingers on

How does that Irving Berlin/Ira Gershwin ballad go?  "The song is ended, but the melody lingers on..."  

Sometimes the success of a show is measured by how long the melodies linger on.  Many of my Camp Participant's parents approach me even now saying that they still hear their kids singing the tunes from the show around the house.  (It has been several weeks now since our performance.)  That is such a compliment.  Of course, I hope that my songs and their messages linger in the minds of the children.  That is the entire point of doing the show.  I hope that they will remember to Be Sincere and that Everybody Works AND that these things are GOOD!

But I am floored that the most memorable song from Never Cry Wolf this summer has been the Little Lamb's dance.  My daughter's little 22 month old daughter Avery goes around singing "Baa, Baa, Baa" and doing the little dance moves almost nonstop daily.  Notice the very nice first position turnout in the feet, the preparatory plie', and the lovely arm position on the turn.  This girl is destined to be a ballerina!  She will surely become a triple threat  -- she can sing (of course, right now she specializes in one word songs as long as that word is "Baa"); she certainly can dance; and here in the household we have witnessed her tendencies towards being a drama queen!  To me, that definitely spells T-R-I-P-L-E  T-H-R-E-A-T!

When I wrote the first iteration of this show about 20 years ago now, I just needed a little song simple enough for three five-year-old girls to perform. They had had no previous performing experience and were scared of their own shadows.  Until the moment of the performance, I could not be certain these three little girls would do anything that they had been taught.  But, they surprised us all and had the the audience giggling so much they nearly fell off their chairs.  There simply is no arguing with CUTE FACTOR.

So, while I would prefer that "Set for Posterity" or "A View from the Highest Mountain" or "Tapestry of Life" would be the hit songs from the show, I am still pleased that "Baa Baa Baa" enjoys such longevity.  The Camp might have ended, but the Song lingers on...