Let's Put on a Show!

That's right, the students I work with are teeming with energy to get started on the Spring play, Alice in Wonderland. We had an amazing turnout at the January auditions, and although it was hard to choose from among such talent, I announced the parts the next week. I checked out scripts to the actors, and they began working on memorizing them. Then we started our fundraising candy sale, which has made us an amazing profit, so we can start building sets and making costumes. I think the Red Queen will be in velvet. So far, we've pretty much nailed the blocking and everything for act one, and act two is coming along nicely. I can't wait to get the tickets, flyers and posters printed. These scrappy kids are going to make the school and their families so proud!

Oh wait, no that's not how it's gone. Actually, we had about nine kids at the auditions, two of whom signed up and immediately left. The remaining seven were given parts automatically, regardless of lisps, and we held "make-up auditions" the next week, begging people to show up. We ended up with a total of nine who were coming semi-regularly, although on any particular day, we rarely have more than five. Two dropped out, then came back and wanted their parts back, but haven't shown up for two practices since then. One kid told me for two weeks straight that he wanted to join drama and would be there at the next rehearsal, then never showed. When he finally came, he checked in, said he was going to sell some candy before drama club started and be right back, then never returned. Twice. No one has memorized anything. The candy sale is damn near losing money because the profit margin is narrow anyway, so the kids who aren't keeping good records ("Oh, I only have $6.50? I wonder what happened to the other $3.50?!") are pretty seriously cutting into the profits. Plus I have to count grimy quarters after school several days a week and then lug them home, and make numerous trips on my own time to Smart and Final (a real thrill), paying $80 a pop out of my own bank account. At least six scripts (which I paid for out of pocket) have disappeared. Today we chose to rehearse the tea party scene, because we had a March Hare, an Alice, and a narrator. We had other people read for the Dormouse and the Mad Hatter. It went swimmingly. Why am I doing this again?