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Kid-Powered Christmas Program Behind the Scenes

1st and 2nd graders practice their song on the risers	Performer/helpers add some sparkle to their angel capes
Rachael Kroog shares her vision with Student Director Hallie Burns	Sabrina and Maggie practice a dance with the performers

At the end of last year’s show, after the performers took their curtain calls, the Junior Stage Managers were called up for a bow. The kids in the show went crazy, whooping and applauding. Later, I asked my daughter why they got such a great response. She replied, “Mom, there wouldn’t be ANY show without the stage managers – they do EVERYTHING you don’t see.”

“Being on stage is not for everyone – which is why we offer many off-stage opportunities for kids to learn and grow,” explains Cristine Patlan, of the SJA Faith Formation staff. “They get a firsthand look at what it takes to make a show work.” There are more than a dozen kids in backstage positions this year. Let’s meet a few of the kids who are doing everything you don’t see to make the show happen this year.

I caught up with Jr. Stage Managers Willy Dehn and Sabrina La Plante as they painted scenes in the Egan Room. While both kids have performed in the shows, they prefer to be back stage. It is a job with many responsibilities, including “making the scenes and props, keeping track of them so they don’t get damaged, and getting where they need to be during the show,” explained Willy. While it can be stressful, “It is cool to have an important part in making the show all come together,” said Sabrina.

For the first time this year, Rachael asked a few kids to take on the responsibility of choreographing the many dance numbers in the show. “If you want to be a choreographer – be prepared to stay up late,” warned Maggie Emery, who burned the midnight oil with Sabrina Patlan to choreograph several numbers in the show. After hours spent choosing the right moves, they presented the dances to Rachael for her input. Next, they showed them to the whole group of performers, broke each dance down to teach them – step-by-step – and practiced with the group again and again. Soon they realized that the work of a choreographer is not done until the show hits the stage. “We’re still simplifying things for the younger kids and changing some moves that didn’t work well with so many dancers,” said Sabrina.

Jr. Stage Managers paint the scenes

Seventh grader Hallie Burns has been in the show ever since preschool. This year she, along with Elizabeth Weir(8th Grade), stepped into the role of student director. Hallie describes her responsibility to be, “another pair of eyes for Rachael -- to tell her if a dance needs more work, if a performer should try a line a different way, or anything that could make the show better,” she explained. One thing she has learned is that there are millions of little details that make a show work – and that the director needs to memorize the entire show.

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Don’t miss the show:
St. Joan’s Christmas Musical
Friday, December 14, 2007 at 7:00p.m. in the Gym
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Coming soon… We’re all in this together – more on youth development at SJA ...

Mary Beth Leone-Getten , a parishioner since 1993, is involved in many kids programs at SJA. Her favorite is Camp St. Joan, a summer culture camp for kids that explores a different country each year. She and Siena (8), Paloma (4), and husband Tim love the message and action of social justice that is practiced at SJA – something that resonates well with children, who have great radars to detect when something is “not fair.”