Many Thanks (03/16/09)

This week, I have many thanks to deliver to many different people.

First, I would like to thank all the parents. The parents of the drama fest kids understood the necessity and the urgency associated with production week. For example, one parent of a sick child went to extraordinary lengths to nurse their performer back to health in order that they wouldn’t miss a minute of rehearsal. Other parents rearranged work schedules in order to deliver or pick up their child from rehearsal. Some parents even volunteered their vehicles to get groups of students to the theater.

All the parents made time to come and watch the performances, and most of the parents showed tremendous patience as both dress rehearsals ran over the stated time of dismissal. In fact, throughout the entire six-week run, we did not hear a single complaint about the demands we made on children and on families. I cannot thank parents enough for their wonderful attitudes and their incredible support of our efforts.

Next, I would like to thank our costumer, Colleen Couey. She went above and beyond, spending countless hours sewing and creating, sometimes taking several dresses and creating a new item from all of them. Mrs. Couey tackled the challenge of a fairy tale play with tremendous energy and enthusiasm, and I have never had more professional looking costumes in any play I have ever produced.

I would like to thank Kirk Schweitzer, for his continued support of our drama projects. Kirk was an important liaison between my wife and I and the Frontier Stage Theater. For this play, he took a hands-on role in operating the lighting and sound equipment, adjusting spot lights, placing microphones, and handling an assortment of technical issues. He was always kind and understanding, and most importantly, he made us feel welcome in using this community facility.

I thank Chris Gansel, who has hit the ground running as the new director of the Graham County Recreation Director. He let us use his trailer (and his strong back) in moving the heavy risers from the high school to the theater. He was present at all the dress rehearsals and all the performances. He helped set the stage, clean up back stage, and even learned how to operate the lighting and sound equipment from Kirk. I plan to call on Chris regularly for dramatic projects in the future.

I also need to thank my mother-in-law, Bonna Wheeler, for the creation of six large paper Mache boulders that really dressed our stage and sold the location of a mountain ledge. These fake rocks were so realistic, so intricately formed and painted, as to be indistinguishable for real rocks and boulders. And like Mrs. Couey, she volunteered her time and donated all the expenses.

Last, and most importantly, I want to thank my talented wife, Tonia. I don’t know if people realize, but Drama Fest was her idea. After listening to me explain the gap between basketball and track for many of our junior high students, she volunteered to teach an acting class with the culmination of a possible performance night. Later, I suggested possibly directing a one-act, and together, we formed Drama Fest.

In her relentless pursuit of acting perfection, she molded these inexperienced performers into capable and knowledgeable thespians. She earned the students’ respect and helped them improve as both actors and people. I did my best to support her efforts, and I am proud that I could bring such an amazing teacher into the lives of our junior high students.

Undoubtedly, there are others I should thank as well. Mrs. Shank and Mrs. Potter each were wonderful contributors to the program. The USD, and all the K-8 staff were also very supportive, and I thank the bus drivers for getting all the K-8 students to the theater on Friday. If you helped Drama Fest in anyway, please know that all contributions, no matter the size, were much appreciated and were very important to make the project a success. Nothing we accomplished could have been accomplished alone. With this much support, I can’t wait to get started with Drama Fest 2010, next year!