I have a 19 year old son and 14 year old daughter...I know better.
Why I thought I could watch my daughter make her musical theater debut without taking Kimberly Clark WITH me was a bad decision. Turning on the saltwater faucet before she even stepped on stage was the unexpected part.
Every year, Lake Oswego Junior HS performs a musical production under the steadfast direction of the drama teacher Joe Theissen. And every year, I am STUNNED at the quality of production this one man is able to pull out of 100+ 13- and 14- year old adolescents. I can't even get a carload of girls dropped off at the mall without drama, he has them dancing and singing...in TUNE!
This year's production is Beauty and the Beast. If you're a parent with a child under the age of 20, you surely have the DVD memorized, even if you haven't had to watch it for several years now. You may even have remnants of Halloween Belle's and Beasts in the rafters of your garage. As one of those parents, I will tell you that this production is not to be missed, even as I warn you that you might be singing Tale as Old as Time for the next week. My daughter, Maggie, is Mrs. Potts. Yes...I raised a teapot with a slight British accent and I'm darn proud of it.
With hardly a dry eye in the house and some friendly teasing between parents over our emotional breakdowns for our very own candlesticks, forks, spoons and villagers...the reason behind all this has become clear to me. It's less about the "pride" we feel. I mean, of course, we're proud. "Oh, honey, I'm so PROUD of you. You did SO well."
But really...deep down...we know that this is a first definitive step to the edge of the nest. These productions show us that our little ones really are growing up...who knew that this kid who can't pick up a towel and who appears to have lost most of his or her sense of hearing, especially when you're talking, is standing on a stage on their own...speaking carefully memorized lines...singing their hearts out in public (sometimes sounding astonishingly good) and showing us a glimpse of the adult they are becoming all too quickly.
Great. Now I need a kleenex again.
Performances are running next week, Thursday 2/25 and Friday 2/26 at 7pm and two performances on Saturday, 2/27 at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets are available. And bring your own tissues.
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