Off to See the Wizard!......

One of my projects keeping me busy this summer is being the Musical Director of "The Wizard of Oz." I have directed kids shows for the past 4-5 years so its not a big stretch. There are a couple of differences this time around though... we used to do shows in a Black box or a small proscenium theater. The Black Box sat about 150 people and it is literally a black room so we are limited to what we can do set wise and instrumentalist wise. The theater was an old church converted to a theater. This theater seats about 200 people with a small overflow area. I would much rather be in the old church but we didn't always get our choice. Lights are always limited and sound systems are pretty much an ipod or a CD player, nothing else.

This summer we started a new Theater company Youth Theater Carson City . This company is performing out of the local Community Center. This theater is a full functioning proscenium theater seating over 700 people!! Now i don't think that we can fill this theater and pack the house but its a nice thought. We also have access to so much more then before. We can fly out set pieces, we have wings that they can enter from, spotlights, lots of lights, full working sound system, AND wireless microphones! We have never had the option of using microphones in a show let alone wireless ones. We also will be using overhead and floor microphones.

I am really excited for the kids to get this opportunity to perform on this stage. For most of them this is the biggest stage they have performed on. I grew up performing on this stage. I performed with the local Community College and still do. They do all of their performances at this theater. Most of the students i have in the group have seen performances at this theater but never thought they would get to perform on this size of a stage.

So to get ready for the show i have been working on music, going to rehearsals, and working on costumes. I have so many green sequins around my house its not even funny!! But it will all be worth it in the next couple weeks. There will be 40+ children singing and dancing up on this stage with smiles on their faces and loving performing. That is worth it!!



oh we also have a touring group that performs around the community, at various activities around town. here is a picture of the SHOWSTOPPERS (their group name) performing at the Carson City Relay for Life event last weekend!!