This week, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Noodle's 5th Grade class had their BIG SHOW. An adaptation of Romeo and Juliet set on the border of Mexico and Texas. Juliet as a Vaquera and Romeo as a Cowboy. Language adapted to be historically accurate or contemporary with some of the original poetry retained - Shakespeare didn't write "he haw" or "You want a piece of me?", but he did write, "But soft, what light at yonder window breaks". The adaptation was written by the Art Director and the kids. The music - oh yes, there was lots of song and lots of dance - was all cowboy tunes -Old Dan Tucker, Home on the Range, Buffalo Gals or Vaquero ballads in Spanish. The dances were complex and fun. The fight scenes were well choreographed. There were live musicians. The performance was at a local theater with professional lights, staging and make up. The kids have been working on the play for months.
To say that it was awesome is an understatement. It was astonishing. Absolutely astonishing.
Because these kids? Are 10 and 11 years old. And they behaved and performed like professionals - or at least extremely good amateurs. This was not a usual Elementary School production.
Most of the kids have been at the Arts Based School since Kindergarten and have had 5 years of dance, song, drama and yearly performance. Our Noodle held her own with them, though I could not help but lament that she didn't have the same 5 years of this sort of education (yes, yes, don't tell me what a good thing it was for her to be where she was for the last years, I know, I know, but if we had stayed put here, she would have been at this school for those years - trade-offs, trade-off, trade-offs). Arts Based Education isn't for everyone - someone needs to study science and technology and math and all those things that this school isn't so strong on. But my girls - and I have to admit, their jealous Mama - are a good fit for this place.
I am grateful we landed here this year.
And while I want to convince y'all that the performance was that good, I can't willy nilly post photos of other people's children - at least not identifiable ones. So here's a bunch of kids from far away and kids from backstage and kids dancing and singing and having a great time on stage. Cowboys and Vaqueros.
And yep, that wee short little one with the purple skirt and long braids is our Noodle.
She was a Cowgirl extraordinaire.
With but one spoken line, "What did he say?"
And one really big scene as the Messenger who takes the note explaining to Romeo that Juliet isn't really dead from the Priest,
(This particular gesture did not require a great deal of acting on her part)
and then races away on a (stick) horse,
Through the dark of night (okay, it is a crappy photo, but it was DARK and she was galloping at top speed)
to pass the message on to another courier, who, as we know, arrives too late,all of which leads to such a tale of woe for Juliet and her Romeo.
I think Will would be quite pleased.
(One more gratuitous photo of my favorite Cowgirl.
