Switching Principals

It is tradition in our high school that when you are in grade 11 you get to participate in a dinner theater which is then used as a fund raiser for your graduation the following year. This year Beth is in grade 11, so it was her year for the play. We always enjoy the performances that these kids put on, but it is a lot of work and they prepare hard to be ready in time.

Usually the play is done in April, but this year our high school is being renovated and so the theater area would be unavailable in the spring so they moved it back to November. I actually liked having it over and done with earlier in the year, but they will probably go back to spring shows once the school is all put together again. Anyway...

Beth didn't have a huge part to play, but she did so good. This year the play was called 'Switching Principals'. Beth was a school board member. She looked so grown up in her costume.

THE PLOT:

School spirit has never been lower at Marvin Gardens High School.  When a new principal is scheduled to arrive, everyone is hoping for a fresh breeze.  What blows in, however, are George and Madge, two con-men who slipped in through the principal’s office window while hiding out from the law.  In a hilarious case of mistaken identity, vice principal Abigail figures George for the new principal, which suits George right down to his socks.  He introduces Madge as his secretary.  "She can do 80 words a minute," George tells Abigail.  "More when I get mad!," Madge adds.  Laying low after a car wreck which has the police on the prowl, our two con-men make the most of their situation and settle right in at Marvin Gardens.  They are tickled to learn that the other victim in the car collision was the very same principal who was due to arrive.  Laid up with minor injuries, he won’t be on the scene for a few more days.  This gives George and Madge the chance to double-talk and dodge their way past pushy school board members, a nosy security guard, overactive students and one superstitious lady who has to be convinced, by George of course, that her aura needs to be watched.  But somewhere along the way, George feels good about helping people.  His cold prickly conman qualities soften into warm fuzzies as he finds himself falling under the spell of the school’s spirit, much to the disgust of Madge. 

The kids began rehearsing a couple of months before their scheduled production and from the looks of the pictures they had a good time doing it.

The night before the play the kids held dress rehearsal and performed the play in full costume. Most of these photos come from what was taken by the photography group as we were not able to take photos during the play - especially since this year we were seated on the very back row.

I had a small role to play in bringing off the dinner theater. This year I volunteered to design the place mats. I also helped to decorate the Legion where the dinner was held. Below is the place mat before the kids all signed it. I also helped to serve the meal on Saturday night. It is so nice to be out in the community where I discover the talents of fellow community members. I believe events like this help to draw communities together.

It is always so rewarding for me as a parent to watch my children stretch out of their comfort zones and do something new. Beth had so much fun and the play was very well done. The lines were personalized to include Bow Island humor, humor that those in the audience related to. I love that there is good clean entertainment available and I love that our kids are involved in providing it.