Gift for Teen Actor's 1st Performance?

[bluerendezvous]

My DS15 landed a part in the play Tom Jones. He auditioned for it even though he'd never done anything like it before. His opening is in July, so I have time to think about things like, "What do you get a teen boy for a gift after a first performance?" If he were a girl, I'd just go get flowers, but I'm sure that wouldn't go over very well.

So, I need help! WWYD?

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I've seen boys get maybe one flower, rather than a whole bouquet, when my girls are in shows.
What part did he get? The HS where I work did this 10 years ago, and it was very funny.
Robin M.

 

[SamRoc]

When my nephew landed his first Off Broadway show, we ordered a candy bouquet with music notes from a Candy store in our neighborhood. he loved it! you could also order something from cookies by design, like this one:

http://www.cookiesbydesign.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=A8

 

[christiane]

Do you need the gift right on opening night?

If not, how about having his script bound professionally with his name on the cover? Or have the performance recorded professionally & made into a DVD?

If you want something on opening night, how about photo taken at the dress rehearsal & then get everyone in the cast to sign it as a suprise?
Or make up one of the those fake magazine covers and have it say "Johnny wins a Tony Award for his first ever performance!!" as a joke keepsake.

 

[bluerendezvous]

Thank you so much for the great ideas! Since I am totally new to this, I was clueless!

He will be playing the part of Blifil (not sure that's spelled correctly).

 

[powellrj]

Both of my younger kids have been involved in drama and musicals and to be honest, we have never given them any type of gift. We did give DD a bouquet of flowers after this years spring musical, but only because it was a fundraiser for the choral department. They are in so many productions during the year, that it would be an endless gift giving occasion.

While I have seen a few girls given flowers, thats about the extent of it. I have never seen anyone give the boys a gift.

 

[bluerendezvous]

Really? Maybe I should just go and play the part of Proud Mom!

 

[Bob NC]

15 year old boy? 1st performance? Your gift is your support and applause.

 

[mum4jenn]

www.yourhollywoodstar.com

Not sure when the 1st performance is but this is a great site. Tou can have a coaster sized mini version of the same stars that is on the Hollywood walk of fame. It can even be customized to theatre, singing,television, etc. THe site says it can be available in 3 days.

 

[EdiePA]

I always tried to find something small that had a significance for the part. When DS#1 was Smee in Peter Pan, I found the Smee Disney beanie baby for him. When he was Albert Peterson in Bye, Bye Birdie, I found two stuffed animals that sang, "Put On a Happy Face" (his big song.) When DS#2 was General Bullmoose in Lil Abner, I bought him a moose beanie baby.

Also, you might want to check --- for our productions, the students would give gifts to each other. I remember buying and wrapping freesia for my sons to give to the girls in the production.

Edie

 

[disneygals]

I always tried to find something small that had a significance for the part. When DS#1 was Smee in Peter Pan, I found the Smee Disney beanie baby for him. When he was Albert Peterson in Bye, Bye Birdie, I found two stuffed animals that sang, "Put On a Happy Face" (his big song.) When DS#2 was General Bullmoose in Lil Abner, I bought him a moose beanie baby Edie

Me too! My dd1 was just Daisy Mae and dd3 was "Scarlett/ensemble" (lol) and I went on ebay and got them Lil Abner thimbles. I don't spend too much, I just like to get a token gift.

 

[barkley]

Do you need the gift right on opening night?

If not, how about having his script bound professionally with his name on the cover? Or have the performance recorded professionally & made into a DVD?

If you want something on opening night, how about photo taken at the dress rehearsal & then get everyone in the cast to sign it as a suprise?
Or make up one of the those fake magazine covers and have it say "Johnny wins a Tony Award for his first ever performance!!" as a joke keepsake.

just a heads up on these suggestions-often in highschool the students are only given rented scripts that have to returned or 'sides' which just give their cue lines (or a portion) and their own. as for recording-be very careful about this, some copywrites preclude any type of recording of performances (i know allot of schools go ahead and do it but some companies have reps. whose entire job is to check out local performances to catch them breaking the contract-i know we had one appear at a production i was in).

i was in a play recently that included a first time actor, i purchased a closing nite momento for her-it's a coffee cup that reads 'ace actor' on the back, and says on the front 'proud to be a 100% all natural, leg breaking, audition going, entertaining, talented ACTOR'. she got a big kick out of it.

one neat and easy thing to do is to snag one of the posters that advertises the play and put it in a frame that has a mate frame inside (the cardboard that surronds a picture inside a frame). give it to him opening nite, then suggest that he open the frame and remove the matte to have everyone autograph it. when he's done and puts it back to together he will have a very personalized momento (this was a tradition with a couple of theatre groups i was in).

 

[bluerendezvous]

Thanks again for all the wonderful ideas! I really like the Hollywood Star & the framed poster ideas!