Remember when she insisted on singing with the show band of Bellevue Hotel earlier this year? This summer, we took the opportunity to nurture that spark. If you missed that story, here it is: I’m Taking Note Of Today. (Come back here after! 😉 )

March came and we started scouting for performing arts workshops. Which one to go with? We thought. There were so many to choose from! Many factors to consider too – fees, proximity, schedule, reviews, and the age group as most would only accept 6-year-old kids and above.

After a few weeks of weighing our options, we finally decided to go with Trumpets Playshop. We enrolled her in their Children’s Theater class for 3.5 to 6 years old at Podium Mall, as it seemed perfect for beginners and for someone like Kulots who loves to perform.

And it was! I think Mia had an incredible experience!

Everyday she would anticipate and ask what day it was, as she always wanted it to be Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. (We signed up for the TTHS schedule.)

We had trouble sleeping at night too. She would get too stimulated with her new learnings and too fired up just thinking about their next meeting. See and hear her excited “plaaaayshopppp” squeals.

 

I wish I had more “insider” pictures to show but the only time we were allowed to go in was during the first day. Thus, I had a post about Day1. Parents were always asked to stay in the waiting area even up to their technical and dress rehearsal day. So the days in between were all about probing and trying to squeeze info out.

I was like an NBI investigator. A bit close to a cross-examiner in court. LOL.

What did you do? Did you dance? How about sing? Did you act?

When I couldn’t get much from those, I would try,

Was teacher nice today? What did she ask you to do? What kind of games did you play? Could you show me your new steps?

And still, all I got were 1 or 2 liner answers.

Here are some.

We learned about respect.

(Well, that’s a good start..)

We played Mirrors!

(Aha! That’s practice for mimicking! So they did acting workshops that day, okay.)

We did HIGH and Lowww..

(Hmm.. must be voice exercises! Good, good.)

We did like this:

(LOL. Oh, so they probably did some dancing that day.)

Looking back, I realized keeping us out was actually very purposeful. You know how kids tend to whine when parents are around? Or how some parents tend to interrupt how the teachers handle class? Yeah, they avoided all that. They had complete control over the kids and they kept the final performance a surprise.

At first I really doubted they could do much with an hour and a half a day for 3 days a week.

But on their 2nd week, I was surprised to see Mia dance to a full verse of a song at home. How did they teach that in just a few sessions? She also learned new prayers and has started singing them before meals and at bedtime.

On their 3rd week, she was ecstatic to have the Jiggle-ly Jellyfish role. They were set to perform “Sea Creatures in Harmony” and other kids would be squids, seahorses, and angelfishes.

At home, she would request for the script ALL THE TIME and we would go through it together twice a day, sometimes thrice when she couldn’t seem to get enough.

Apparently, the trick to knowing what goes on in class is to READ THE SCRIPT WITH HER. She would demonstrate what would happen or how things should be done on every page. She would even direct me and repeat the teachers’ instructions so I can get the movements right. She would dance and sing EVERY part of EVERY character. She knew all of them.

It was really amazing. I was in theater myself before but not once had I thought I would exchange lines and read scripts with my child one day. I had warm and fuzzy feelings all over!

We also somehow knew she would love to be in a musical play but we didn’t think she’d be this passionate about it! Too passionate that she was insisting to have the lead role, the King Dolphin, on their 4^th week.

She was terribly upset when I explained that the Dolphin has too many lines and is actually a male adult role.

But I already know his lines. I memorized them!

True enough, she really did. She knew all his singing lines.

But how about the lengthy spoken lines??

I want to be the Dolphin… Only the Dolphin..

For 3 days, she was always at the verge of throwing a tantrum every time we’d talk about how she couldn’t have that role.

(Taking notes here once again..)

Thankfully, her teachers (who did such a great job by the way) eventually convinced her that there’s no way she’ll be King and it’s more fun to be Jiggle-ly Jellyfish. It also helped when the costumes arrived. She loved the tentacles! She would pretend to STING me all the time.

DAY OF THE SHOW

The day of the show came and I was so glad that Mamoo came from Baguio to join us. A good friend of mine was also with us and we happily sat on the front row for this most awaited production.

I wanted to scream when she came out! Hahahaha! My mom and I were both teary-eyed. LOL. Here’s a short clip of her first part.

Sorry for the jerky shots. I was trying to enjoy the show and I wasn’t actually looking on my phone while filming.

It may not seem much but it was HUGE for her. To be in a real theater, to sing and dance with a lapel mic on, and to utter her lines on cue was a BIG DEAL for her.

 

 

 

 

Here’s another clip of her before they left the stage.

We’re really glad we enrolled her in this class. It was a perfect fit. We may have spent more than what we expected as there were add-on fees for the costume and the recital, but the theater experience she gained and the opportunity it gave her to discover her talents, made it all worth it.

So to Trumpets, CONGRATULATIONS for a successful run! I applaud you for being very organized and for giving the playshoppers a TALENT ADVENTURE! Thank you!

And to all new friends we made, I’m so glad we’re in the same boat of exploring their gifts. They may pursue just one (singing, dancing, acting), or all, or none at all when they’re older, but at least we have opened the doors for them. May God bless our kids and their journey. Hope to see you again next summer!

Mwah!