Wow, my first ever musical rehearsal is complete and it went so well. I didn't sleep very well last night due to nerves and figuring out which way to go about organising the kiddies, knowing that the volunteers and teachers would be waiting and watching to see the final outcome. This was my first rehearsal and the show is in two days time. I really needn't have been so worried!

I couldn't believe it, this was the first time I had ever done something like this and it was all going so well. My narrators were in place, the music was set up and it was show time. I walked through their placings and where they were to stand when they come on and off stage. It made me chuckle though because when the Monkeys (level 1) did their dance (Pump it) they just stood there and looked at me and were expecting me to dance with them. So I danced it infornt of them-the Monkeys following my every move, even though I knew they could do it by themselves... at one point when I waved my hands to signal to them to run to the front of the stage and they ran straight off stage and stood directly next me..cute!....so we'll have to work on that area a bit more. The 'Imagine' song, using the khmer words as props, made me blubb like a baby, but I had to hold back the tears as the children were following my lead for timings and where to stand and look etc.

The kids looked liked they loved every minute of being on stage and being involved,it was lovely to see them making sense of what the musical was about due to the translation that the narrators were doing (one reads in English the other in Khmer) as well as seeing them full of excitement when it was time to perform their dance/song.

Overall the running time was about half an hour. I have another practice arranged for next Friday (this time it will be with the guitarist playing a few songs instead of using the cd). However, because the morning class children are different to the afternoon, the only full school rehearsal i will get with them will be an hour before the actual performance next sunday. As long as they keep smiling and enjoying it it will look and be amazing. They are true stars!

x

Note to self- I am going to need a HUGGGEEEEE pair of sunglasses for the performance next week!