Stockton: Wind, Rain, Thunder…and Clones

Posted by Tai on May 2, 2008

School Shows School Residencies

The Stockton Elementary show was this morning, and it was a blast. This residency was taught by lead teacher Geoff, Laura G., Rani, awesome volunteer Maggie K., and myself. Although it was BOM’s first residency and show at Stockton, the kids took to us like ducks to water. They were a creative and eager bunch, and it showed in their stories.

Not only was this our first show at Stockton, it was company member Kate Staiger’s first time directing a Monkey show, and she was a natural. Over the past week and a half we have been adapting and rehearsing stories featuring robots, chipmunks, J-Lo and a not-so-scary haunted house.

On the way to the school this morning, after our traditional pre-show breakfast, we saw a surprising sight on Montrose Avenue:

That’s right, it’s a pantomime horse. I made Kurt stop the car so I could get a picture of it. I took it as a good omen.

We did experience a moment of panic during the show. In a story entitled “Moving To Another Apartment,” Maggie was to open a mimed door, walk out, and an elaborate sound cue (crafted by Kurt, master of scary sound cues) of rain, wind, thunder, and various creepy noises would play, prompting her character to go back inside. There were some technical difficulties with the iPod and the sound refused to play. Quick on their feet, Maggie improvised some difficulty with the mimed door while the actors backstage made the noises themselves. Disaster averted.

Some of the props used in the Stockton show.

The other BOM teachers and I had a chat with the story authors after the show, and they were glowing. Author Christopher C. had written an awesome argument about clones (for the record, he was pro-cloning; you know, so you can send your clone to school and stay home and play with your clones), and Geoff gave him a souvenir on the way out: a t-shirt with Chris’s name on it that he had worn in the story as one of the clones. Chris was delighted.