Radium Girls
Last night I saw a Shorecrest High School performance for the first time since Honk! Basically, this meant that this was the first time I'd returned to my old stomping grounds and not known a single kid in the show, and virtually no one in the audience either. Especially so now, in fact, as this is the first show put on by the new drama director, Andy Kidd.
All I have to say is... wow! I'm impressed this Andy fellow did so well his first time up to bat. He's only a few years older than I am and apparently turned down Johnson's offers to mentor him (much to her dismay). The play he chose to put on as his first production is called Radium Girls, a straight drama based on actual events in 1926, when factory girls sued the factory in which they'd worked for over-exposure to radium that eventually killed them all. I was really impressed with all the kids' performances, especially the girl who played the lead and the boy who was the factory owner. Andy Kidd does his own directing, and clearly really worked with all these kids to get the best possible performances out of them. It was a gutsy move--knowing Shorecrest's penchant for glitzy, acting-light musicals--for a new guy taking over a drama dynasty to attempt a dramatic straight play. And boy, did they all ever rise to the challenge! Bravo Shorecrest!
I hope everyone has a marvelous Thanksgiving! Stuff yourselves on turkey (or tofurkey, as the case may be) and stuffing, and enjoy some quality time with family and/or friends. And enjoy the football, too, if that's your bag... I hope your team scores a homerun. ;-)
All I have to say is... wow! I'm impressed this Andy fellow did so well his first time up to bat. He's only a few years older than I am and apparently turned down Johnson's offers to mentor him (much to her dismay). The play he chose to put on as his first production is called Radium Girls, a straight drama based on actual events in 1926, when factory girls sued the factory in which they'd worked for over-exposure to radium that eventually killed them all. I was really impressed with all the kids' performances, especially the girl who played the lead and the boy who was the factory owner. Andy Kidd does his own directing, and clearly really worked with all these kids to get the best possible performances out of them. It was a gutsy move--knowing Shorecrest's penchant for glitzy, acting-light musicals--for a new guy taking over a drama dynasty to attempt a dramatic straight play. And boy, did they all ever rise to the challenge! Bravo Shorecrest!
I hope everyone has a marvelous Thanksgiving! Stuff yourselves on turkey (or tofurkey, as the case may be) and stuffing, and enjoy some quality time with family and/or friends. And enjoy the football, too, if that's your bag... I hope your team scores a homerun. ;-)