As we wrap the James and the Giant Peach Jr. production week and head into Shabbat, I want to take a moment to thank you for playing such an important part of and supporter of the musical here at Davis.
What an incredible experience it has been working with each of your children! From the smallest of the small, to the tallest of the tall, from our students on-stage to those behind stage, each child "played" her or his part with great passion, enthusiasm, team-work, and joy.
Every day, hour, and minute spent with them was a pleasure and truly the creating the most kind, supportive, loving environment for which we could ever wish.
Watching our Mechinas take to the stage for the first time ever and learn how to bow and wow a crowd was inspiring and precious; watching our Shark Kindergartners' protect their shark line and develop and how off their leadership skills was heart-warming; seeing the K, 1st and 2nd grade take flight in their moves, sing out loud for all to hear, and make friendships with our middle school mentors was empowering; seeing the third through fifth graders take on extra stage responsibilities with fervor, vim and vigor, and incredible enthusiasm makes us terrifically excited for the Performing Arts programs and productions for years to come. How amazingly awesome were ALL of our LS cast members?!
The Middle school cast and crew role modeled beautifully for our lower school cast members and for each other. Their work ethic, kindness towards each other, and support of each other were exemplary, as were their confident, assured, larger than life performances. They created a team atmosphere which shone throughout the entire production process from auditions in November through to Strike of the musical on Tuesday.
It is a blessing, honor, privilege, and joy to work with your children. Thank you for allowing your children to take on the musical adventure this year, for your support, and for your time in helping to make our kids and show shine!
It is such a unique Davis experience to participate in the all-school musical, where ages do no matter, there are no grade levels, where we are one large communal playground, and our classroom is open to every student in the school to have a spot on stage in the spotlight.
Theatre is such a unique discipline in which we strive to create strong readers, confident and assured voices, collaborators and problem solvers all coming together in pursuit of one communal goal to entertain and move our audiences.
I often tell my students, everything we need to learn, to succeed, and be career ready we learn on a stage. Even more so on M-8th stage where curiosity, freedom of expression, freedom to fail, freedom to sing and dance, creative play, open-mindedness, courage, risk-taking, making friends of all ages, and joy of learning are the foundations of rehearsal and putting on a play.
A show is the very essence of project management where collaborative learning, creativity, communication, and creative differences/problem-solving reign supreme.
An actor must speak articulately with an empowered voice to convey the story’s meaning to an audience with the dual objective of entertaining an audience, in addition to providing an emotional transformation, educational journey, and perspective changing of an audience. There is no greater power than using one’s own voice to move another human being to laughter, tears, or understanding.
To prepare for a show problem solving is key: how to work with others, dealing with creative differences, what if an actor forgets her lines, what if the lights go out, what if a prop is missing, how to deal with stage fright, where do all of these actors stand, how do I design abstractly a set-costume-light design that heightens the tone, mood, feeling, sentiment of the play, etc... It is an exercise in joy, imagination, creative play, grit, collaboration, growth mindset, business, resilience, and empowerment.
The process of putting together a play requires creativity, empathy for others, compassion, perspective taking, the ability to create world’s never seen or to re-examine history, cultures, civilizations, to take note our of past, explore our present, and define our future. Empowering children’s voices is the key to making sure all girls and boys continue to speak out; to be given platforms for presenting and performing.
We are all players on a stage, and "performing" is the one universal skill used in every career: an attorney, a doctor, a salesperson, a hedge fund manager, a teacher, a politician, a CEO. This is a skill that is most vital to teach at the onset of formal education. The ability to speak well publicly, to articulate one’s ideas in a clear, persuasive manner in which another person will “buy” your idea is the foundation block of career readiness and of life. Theatre prepares all of us for life beautifully!
Einstein said, “Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
What fun was had and we cannot wait to share our universal, all-school classroom, playground, and enrichment experience with each other again next year!
BRAVO!!!
