One Down...

Three to go!

Today was the middle school matinee. The teachers loved it, the students in the audience were completely engaged the whole time, and the cast and crew were satisfied. Rachel and I had a slew of notes for them afterwards (it was technically our final dress rehearsal) to clean things up for opening night tomorrow. The notes were mostly detail-based. We didn't spend too much time talking about the set changes that didn't work or the big mistakes because (and here's my favorite part) it's no longer our job. It's the cast and crew's job to figure out and fix those things and, happily, they're on it.

As I was dashing through the main office this morning before the show, my arms full of papers and DVDs and shoes and extension cords, I heard the assistant principal call me from his office.

My first thought was that one of my kids was in trouble, and as I stepped into his office I was already mentally scanning the program to figure out which one I might have to replace because she/he's been suspended/arrested/hospitalized/whatevered.

"It's about the rehearsal Friday," he said. I switched gears with a mental crunch and started running through what he had seen at the Double Dress that would garner criticism. He had stopped by during the note-giving after the first run. Did I say anything too inappropriate? Was I too harsh on the students? Did a parent complain about my referring to the rig we made for Gaston as "the hair bra"?

"I just wanted to tell you how great that was," Mark said. "You really do an excellent job. Those notes were dead on and so specific! I mean, '[Student name] put your hair up in a bun instead of a braid'? Who notices things like that? But you do, and that's incredible. So, good job!"

I thanked him, stammering a little in my shock and relief. Sadly I really was expecting him to make my morning more complicated, to demoralize me right before the show. That's largely based on experience with other administrators at other schools. Instead I left his office with my arms still full, my morning still busy, and my heart a little lighter.

I really am lucky that I get to work here with these students and these adults.