What would you like to know about St. Joan of Arc? Do you have a story about our parish or of general interest that you think others would like to hear? For story ideas, contact Jeff Rholl, jeff@stjoan.com.

St. Joan’s Christmas Musical: Where every Kid is a Star

I’ll admit it now – I was a naysayer, but one who is so glad to be proven wrong. As I watched the dress rehearsal for the Children’s Christmas Musical last Thursday, I kept thinking one thing: How is this ever going to come together??

This year’s show was a huge undertaking: 150 kids, many with speaking roles, costumes and props, at least four big group dance numbers, lots of scene changes, lighting and music cues and the list goes on. Add to that the fact that all kids from 1st through 7th grade are welcome to be in the show, regardless of experience – and, since we are talking about young children -- attention span.

Rachael Kroog and Shannon Pierce

But as I sat through the hectic dress rehearsal, watching missed lines, wrong music and prop mishaps, I witnessed one very important thing: Rachael Kroog was smiling. She was relaxed. Her voice was kind as always. Rachael, who wrote and directed the show, had every reason to be frazzled; yet she remained calm and supportive, cheering and encouraging the tired kids through every step of the rehearsal. She not only acknowledged their hard work, but she made sure they gave themselves credit for their efforts too. “Rachael’s beautiful spirit hugs each and every child and makes them feel elevated, special & loved,” explains Sandy McGurran, parent of two children in the show.  “Rachael brings the spirit of St. Joan of Arc alive as she embraces each child wherever they are on their journey and joins hands with them along the way.” 

Less than 24 hours later, the kids took the stage and brought down the house. Sure, there were some missed cues and lost props, but the kids pulled it off and achieved something truly rare: they felt like stars – both individually and as part of something bigger than themselves. You could see it on their shining faces, in their dance moves and voices, and in their cheers for each other during the curtain calls. And when Rachael realized that one heartbroken child had missed her line during the performance, she brought her up on stage afterwards to deliver the lines she’d worked so hard to prepare. This child too, no doubt, felt like a star.

According to Rachael, “Part of the reason that I can remain calm is because our show producer, Shannon Pierce, takes care of the lighting and sound issues, so that I can concentrate on the kids. Her partnership in this musical adventure was integral to its success...and to my sanity.”

A big reason the kids felt like stars was the high level of production that Shannon brought to the show. An event producer by trade, Shannon brought in Tom Bothof and Ross Gish from Big Event Productions, who donated the lights and light board, wireless headset microphones and the intercom system for the tech crew, as well as their time to work the show. Shannon also assisted with many other details, from designing and printing t-shirts, to creating the preshow video, to securing the popular streamer cannons. All this cool high-tech stuff serves two very important purposes: the kids learn from the experience of participating in a high-level production, but more importantly, it sends the message that their show (and their time and talents) merit such a professional production. These many details are all part of the bigger package that make the kids feel like “professional performers.”

We’re All in This Together: Youth Development at SJA