A Garden Grows and Bloody Shakespeare

Amelia and John had two very different different acting experiences this past week.

The third graders at John's elementary school gave their performance of "How Does Your Garden Grow". The tradition at the kids' elementary school is that each third grade class puts on a different musical for friends and family. This was the first year that this particular musical was shared at University Park Elementary.


















I was proud of John for wanting to try out for a speaking part. John was cast as Plant #1! This was his line: "Someone call the gardener, and tell him to get his hoe. The cabbage is feeling very crabby and ornery and feeling very low." John is second on the left in the photo below.


























John let me take a few photos back in the classroom after the play. This is John with his friend Chase (Chase was plant #2). You better believe that the second I finished taking this photo John had this costume off as quickly as possible! The vine hat is a good look for him, don't you think?

Remember when Amelia participated in her third grade play, The Princeless Princess?

Amelia's acting experience was the final class in the fall series of the Dallas Theater Center's "Bloody Shakespeare" class for middle school students. Amelia has participated in this class every Saturday for the last six weeks. This past Saturday involved a demonstration for parents, where the kids could showcase their sword fighting skills, complete with bloody stage effects and all!

You can see small spots of blood on Amelia's t-shirt and on the back of her legs above. The man in the back (with the huge blood stain on his white t-shirt) is the Props Stage Director for the Dallas Theater Center. He coached the kids on how to pop the small blood pouches in strategic places to simulate stab wounds on the abdomen, arm, or neck. After the kids demonstrated their skills, he gave a talk about his many experiences with bloody stage effects to the kids and parents. It was really interesting!