Paderewski Rehearsals, Part One
Posted by Mike M on March 13, 2012
Today was day one of rehearsals for the Paderewski school show, which will take place next Monday. For me, it was a special day for two reasons. One, it’s my very first time going through the adaptation and rehearsal process with Barrel of Monkeys. Also, because I worked in the classroom before working on the show, I know the kids whose work I’m adapting. It’s just awesome to see their ideas come to life.
Working through the adaptation process today was more like being a student than an adult. At the beginning of the day, I was assigned a monkey buddy to answer any questions I might have. We did warm-ups just like we do in the classroom. Then, we read through the stories as a group and enjoyed their creativity together. We giggled about elderly cheerleaders, guffawed at an elephant who wouldn’t get out of a car, and gasped to learn about a librarian who is secretly a warlock. These are only a few of the stories we’re working on this week. There will be about twenty in the show.
A final note:
One thing I appreciated about Barrel of Monkeys from the moment I first saw “That’s Weird, Grandma,” is the respect the adults have for their students’ writing. Students of Paderewski, I am happy to report that your writing is in good hands! Not only are the adaptations looking great on stage, they are staying true to the authors’ intents. Congratulations, young authors: your work is getting a good production! As a playwright myself, I can assure you that this isn’t always the case. We’ll do our best to make it the case for you, and I think you’ll be happy with what you see.
More as the week progresses.
Until then,
Mike