Annie.   I never had the pleasure to see the musical done on stage by any school.  I had been absorbing the American School Foundation’s Art Center Upper School  productions in Mexico City for so long, it was a routine I looked forward to from the hundreds of photos and posts that individualized the amazing and breathtaking events of each night’s production.

However, this time around would be quite different.  Different home, different production, different surroundings.  I found myself surrounded by a completely new crew of actors, technicians, managers, directors, musicians, and Amaya was even in on this one 🙂   I found myself from the last few days of rehearsal to this very first production night counting my blessings to be witness to the confidence, talent, and satisfaction of knowing there are champions of the stage in places that you would not expect.  That was certainly the case this very evening.

Ms. Jones and Ms. Workman both emphasized how powerful a talent each of the performers had this evening to show all in the audience the next four days what this production team had to show, give, and represent.  I realized so often you have to look beyond the very words and lyrics sometimes and focus on the details – and the details of movement, expression, and the very heart of an individual reveals how strong of a presentation is possible.

Relying on 100% audio of a play while accompanying Amaya when she wasn’t one stage :),  I was able to piece together the whole production in audio and witness the productions behind the scenes, which allowed me to see the changes, the movements, the panic at times, but the sheer determination to slide from one scene to the next, and seeing the WHOLE TEAM do this for the sake of getting one message across – We are a team and we present one production as a team and we dig deep within ourselves to give the parts of ourselves to those that wish to share that with us in one evening.  Share and share they did.  

I loved this first night  – the belief and the caring of how each individual did, wanting to make every detail of attire, wordage, movement, and scene changing perfect for everyone else?  it is exciting that Woodbridge has come away with a second State Championship in three years, and we are still riding that exciting wave. Tonight, I was lucky enough to also see the stage warriors and champions that devoted each other, to each other, to bring their emotions, expressions, and love to so many others on a single stage.  You come to realize how lucky you are when you are completely surrounded by individuals that put so much of themselves into allowing others to feel that as well.

As I came home with Amaya, settled in and heard James Taylor and Yo Yo Ma’s Hard Times Come No More, everything seemed so right, so fitting into place as it should.  That is a heavy load to bear and represent, and yet, the members of Woodbridge’s Annie pulled it off perfectly from the support and love of what they do,  to show this basic elements can outpace any production anywhere when you support each other and share that with so many others.  No matter what difficulties come, it is easy to see such a tight knit school of performers can overcome anything – and give that glimpse of hope for a better tomorrow to anyone with in their reach.