Church play VENT

[Keli]

I am directing a christmas play this year for our church. It's not a huge production or anything but we are trying to make it very nice and we will be preforming two shows in Dec.

If I didn't hate the idea of being bald I'm telling you I'd have pulled out every hair on my head by now! These kids are driving me crazy!!!! Most of the cast is teenagers and honest to goodness, I will be lucky if we have even one, ONE, rehearsal with everyone in that scene present. And today one of the girls with a substantial part in the program called to ask me what day we would be preforming. I told her both dates (not for the first time, I've announced this over and over) and then she tells me she didn't realize we would be preforming more than once and that she had tickets to the grand ole opry for one of those days. UGGHHH!!!

I told her it sounds like she has a decision to make and to let me know what she's going to do. And I said it very nicely, without a hint of stress in my voice. I have no idea who I can replace her with but if that becomes necessary hopefully I'll find someone quickly!

I feel like screeming today but I have to admit that so far I've loved directing this play. And the kids are GOOD! I've been shocked at their acting abilities and comic timing. If they'd just all show up and if I can get an audience to show up, and if I can get the soundtrack right for the doorbells and church bells, etc., and if I can get the guys doing the spotlights to get the lighting right... Lots of things have and still could go wrong but I'm really hoping these shows turn out great.

 

[CrazyDreamer]

Oh how I love church Christmas pagents... I've been in a great many myself.

Good luck getting it to all come together. They're lots of stress, but incredibley rewarding.

 

[phisigprincess]

It's funny you mentioned that tonight. My sorority sister (who was a friend from our youth group in h.s.) and I just stayed up, probably too late!, watching some of our old youth group shows. It may seem like a pain now and I know teens can be a PAIN to work with on these things, but TRUST ME, it'll be worth it in the end. We still sit and reminisce about the amazing times we had doing the shows and agreed they were the best part of high school. Hopefully your kids will feel the same.

 

[BrinxFam]

Our church is so small, only about 60 people on average and most of them are over 60 years old. The lack of committment for church activities and programs irritates me. My mom and I do everything possible to organize activities but so many times everyone is soooooooo busy! When I was a kid, brought up in church, we went to every event and were involved in every program at church. Church was first and foremost in our lives. It just seems like another place to go to most people these days. Oh well, times change and I will just keep doing my best.

 

[crcormier]

This is why I never direct shows with teenagers. (And rarely perform in them, either...) Which is unfair, because I know many teens in our theater who are great performers and work really hard, but all it takes are a few scattery, chattery ones to really throw the whole thing off.

 

[shep]

Was that you screaming earlier?
Thought I heard a woman screaming...

 

[Mom2Ashli]

Best of Luck!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Yikes!

Maybe next time do the preschoolers.

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

Been there, done that! A week before the play, one of the mothers says she THINKS the play's date is the same day of some sports award thingie. Ummm...we've been rehearsing for weeks and you didn't know that? I was just going to call the whole friggin' thing off, but it turned out she had the date wrong.

Good luck to you. (And may God bless you and keep you sane!)

 

[Deb in IA]

We had a similar problem with girls in the ballet program.

What the ballet instructors did was to call a MANDATORY meeting for all the girls AND PARENTS to discuss final rehearsal and performance schedules.

The instructors stressed the importance of following through on commitments, and how the absence of even one person can disrupt an entire production.

Some compromises were made on BOTH parts -- some rehearsals were moved, and some of the girls rearranged their schedules as well. Maybe you could try the same thing -- ie. if you explain the situation, perhaps the girl with the tickets to the Grand Ol Opry can change them to another day . . .

Good luck!