Second Star to the Right

[shiredancer]

So, two days ago I sewed the belly on a crocodile, and trimmed a mermaid's tail. This can only mean one thing: Kidlet's play this summer is "Peter Pan". She's a pirate, arrrr! *Waves at Lin* They've done their usual thing of adding bits and pieces and lines so that all the kids get to do something (what else can you do with a summer camp that attracts 80 kids, even though it's split into two casts?), and the traditional "Indians" are now "Amazons" because of being all girls, and for some reason they thought it would be more PC *snort*. The sets are incredible -- vibrant shades of green and yellow-green for Neverland, all outlined with blacklight paint so that there's a terrific glow-in-the-dark effect for certain scenes. They open one act with the Amazons doing a choreographed routine with glow-in-the-dark poi balls, which seem to be enormously popular in the dance community these days -- I've seen them used by belly dancers lately, usually on fire.

The crocodile is amazing -- the woman who made the costume apparently has a specialty in animal costumes. He glows in the dark too *g*.

Must fly now -- much of the weekend will be consumed with the production. Here we go -- second star to the right, and straight on 'til morning!

Comments

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Whoa - good luck!

::pictures?::

[shiredancer.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Fortunately my assistance was pretty much over by today -- I only had to worry about shepherding two sets of grandparents about. The heat was bad, though, and no air conditioning in the school auditorium. One set of grandparents had to leave at the second intermission -- too hot.

I shall try to post some pictures!

[linaelyn.livejournal.com]

Now there's something to put on your resumé! I sewed the belly on a crocodile, and trimmed a mermaid's tail.

Yay, Kidlet! *sings* Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!

I think that making the Indians into Amazons is a great stroke, personally. Especially with a girl-heavy camp situation. The point of the Indians in the narrative is a little bit of savagery, not stereotyping an ethnic group. I think it would be fun to do a post-modernist send-up of Peter Pan, and have the Bons Sauvages be punk rockers.

[shiredancer.livejournal.com]

The Amazons idea did work well, and yeah -- I understand about the bit of savagery. Adds that perfect touch to a place like Neverland, you know? They were actually going to do this production with a more modern, punkish tone to it -- but I think that fell by the wayside a bit.

[trislindsay.livejournal.com]

Ah, how I remember the days when my son would come home from school, having just remembered that tomorrow he is going to star as a participle in the school play and that I must come up with an appropriate costume tonight.

[shiredancer.livejournal.com]

A *participle*?? Really??? So, how did you dress him? *Eagerly awaits answer*

Yes, I'm glad to be past the sudden-and-late-announcement stage of things. At least now I get plenty of notice for productions. If I could just learn to not reveal that I know how to sew...

[trislindsay.livejournal.com]

That's a well-known line fron Erma Bombeck. (That'll teach me to answer posts when I'm exhausted! I should have credited it!) MY son used to decide every year that he was too old to go trick or treating, then come in at the last second and demand a costume. He always got a white sheet and make-up because I'm not talented in that area!

[shiredancer.livejournal.com]

LOL! I love Erma Bombeck, but guess I'm not as well-acquainted with her lines as I could be.

Oh well, white sheets work fine! Oddly, for Halloween Kidlet used to insist on a *store-bought* costume instead of homemade. Saved me some time, anyway.

[trislindsay.livejournal.com]

I swear, at one time I had her early books memorized! They got me through raising my boys. I even had an exact experience once with my youngest when he answered the phone while I was putting ketchup on the sandwiches I was making for the boys. "She can't come to the phone right now," Dom said, "She's hitting the bottle." Right out of one of the books! I was laughing so hard, I'm sure the person on the other end of the line thought I really was drunk!

[bodhifox.livejournal.com]

"Second star to the right..." That is one of my favorite lines in literature, though I never really understood the attraction of Peter Pan- it is so sad really. Amazons! Zounds! What fun! I love camp, and I love little people theatre. What a blast!

I can't wait until the princelings are old enough, (which will be a while as they are really quite small) for plays. I have to content myself with moments like sitting on the deck with Prince bear last night, singin' to the fireflies to lure them into the yard. Your story made me remember him singing to the first star out last night "twinkle, twinkle..."and "Daddy, she's lonely waiting for the rest of her family so I sang to her" so now I'm a bit teary eyed at work, darn you.

[shiredancer.livejournal.com]

Ermmm, sorry about the teary eyes. But that was a lovely thing Prince Bear said! He sounds quite wonderful.

The play left me quite a bit teary-eyed myself; it really has some bittersweet moments. I'll probably post about that soonish; have to strike the set first.

And you are so lucky to have fireflies! We don't have them here, and I think I may have only seen them once in my life. I always think they're the most magical things.

[bodhifox.livejournal.com]

Oh no worries. Yes, he is pretty wonderful. The fireflies are magical, especially if you know how to catch them without squishing them, and we are *working* on that. Quite the mess. We did get a net bag into which we are coaxing them instead of grabbing. Fine motor control, what a gift.

I never really think about them not being everywhere in the US at least. Yesterday I had to try and list for the Princeling all the animals that live in Vermont and not here. That took some thinking to get past Moose.

Oh, and if you can find the time to do more writing, I really enjoy your posts. So, hearing about the play would be *wicked shiny*...