Chelsea's Final High School Drama Production - ANYTHING GOES!

So many lasts of my baby girl that included her final drama production of "Anything Goes" which was one of my faves. She had so much fun being a part of this show and the support she received from friends coming to watch her perform was so humbling. It's so wonderful to see our kids having a great time behind the scenes as well as on stage. It was a fun and wonderful production and saddening to know that this might be the last time to see any of my kids acting on stage. Noah will be in 8th grade next year and he really isn't into middle school theatre. He loves going to broadway shows and watching his sisters perform on stage but who knows. There might be hope for him yet as to be in drama productions in high school when he mentioned "how cool and different it is compared to middle school shows" while watching the show. So...who knows!

Now for a huge photo dump...

Little Women.

Little women has, and always will be a favorite movie classic in my library. Ever since it came out in 1994 I have loved it, and love it even more now that I have three daughters of my own. I love a good show that portrays siblings, especially sisters going through a "coming of age" phase, and how it encompasses all kinds of drama! Typical sister roles, but then again I love all movies that entail bonding between siblings that end good. It is on the top of my favorite movies next to Pride and Prejudice, and Dan in Real Life (which takes place in a totally different era!) I love the characters in the book as well as the scenery, and the time it takes place in (I love Massachusetts!)

This past weekend Lexie's high school presented the broadway musical of Little Women. I have never seen the actual broadway show, and even though the play was nothing like the movie it was very well received, and I enjoyed every minute of it! All the players did such a fantastic job from the costumes to the acting and all the people that they chose as the characters were right on point, and their acting was very impressive. It was lovely to see Lexie onstage even if she had minor roles. She definitely stood out and looked so beautiful in her gown when she and Justin (pictured below) had the ballroom dancing scene as well as playing an old hag in which she didn't even come close to looking like one! She looked so mature with all that stage makeup on, and it's hard to believe that she is growing up, and looking more beautiful every day! 

 It was a fun evening spent with friends, and my 10-year old daughter. This totally motivates her even more to get involved with theater as she will be entering middle school in less than two years!! 

Other movies that entail sibling drama that are my all time favorites are: 
The Sound of Music 
Hanging Up
Hannah and Her Sisters
The Family Stone
Sense & Sensibility 
...and of course my favorite from Masterpiece theatre Downton Abbey! It's not a movie, but in my eyes is the best show ever produced in this century! 

three years of middle school drama productions.

Seeing my children's accomplishments brings me great joy. Especially when it's doing something they love. I was never involved in any drama productions in middle school & my attempt to be in a drama class my throughout high school was a joke...on my part. I believe I was a better dancer than an actress, hence being a part of the drill team the following year. Nonetheless those experiences taught me quite a bit. It helped me build more confidence within myself & helped me carry myself through all the hardships that I was experiencing at that time in my life.

This past weekend was Lexie's third & final drama production of her middle school career. She played Goldilocks in "Princess Who?" It was a cute play & everyone did such a great job. 

As each year goes by I am amazed at her level of maturity because when I saw her in her very first play "Frog & Toad" as a second grader, I swear her level of maturity was that of a fifth grader. We had been living in North Carolina & she was the only second grader in her class who had a singing part. She even had more lines than any of her classmates. She has always been so mature for her age & that is something that I've always been impressed by. 

^^^ Lexie in Frog & Toad, circa- 2007 ^^^

^^^ Lexie as a mole in frog & toad, circa-2007 ^^^

And now she's an eighth grade student who has the maturity of a "mature" 18 year old! 

^^^ Goldilocks ^^^

The entire cast gave a stellar performance this past weekend & I can't believe she has six more weeks of middle school left. She has enjoyed being a part of the drama productions for the past three years. You can view the past drama productions here (A walk in the Woods), and here (Spell of Sleeping Beauty).

Since this is their last year, the eighth graders had the opportunity to give a little 'speech of gratitude' at the end of the play. 

Everything that she does never disappoints & my proud mama moments just keep piling up. I look forward to many more of her accomplishments in the near future. Not sure where the time goes, but it sure flies super fast, and it's hard to believe that in just four years we're going to have another high school graduate in the house. Yikes! 

*The Spell of Sleeping Beauty*

Last Friday was Alexandra's drama production "The Spell of Sleeping Beauty"! She let her light shine on stage as the nursemaid, and she did such a great job.

For the past month she has been a busy bee with attending rehearsals, and memorizing her lines. She was not nervous at all! I think having her attend a school of the arts when we lived in North Carolina helped her to act well in front of others.

When Alexandra came out and started reciting her lines, I felt as if I was looking right at Sierra! Not only did she sound like her on stage, but she even looked liked her! It was amazingly scary! This is the same stage in which Sierra starred in her 8th grade drama production "Jolly Roger and the Pirate Queen".

Jennifer as Briar Rose, and Alexandra the nursemaid

Alicia...one of the fairies

The two Alex's- one nice, and one wicked!

Sisters...they definitely do resemble in each other!

Talent definitely runs in our family, and I can see that Sierra is proud of her little sister following in her footsteps with theatre, and as always music. The girls love the theatrics, and we are also grateful to live near NYC where art, music, and broadway rules!

Good job Alexandra!