The "Ladies and Gentlemen ....... appearing stage left" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just put the finishing touches on the Landis Run Intermediate School Yearbook for the 2013-2014 school year.  As I told you in the past, I am hired by the Manheim Township School District in Lancaster County, PA to do the school yearbook for the middle school as well as the intermediate school.  Each has a student population of about 900 and usually sells out of the 700 books that I do for each school.  The book sells for $19 which is a real bargain in today's yearbook market.  Has a hard cover with 68 pages in it.  A few minutes ago I hit the "Send" button and page 63 was history.  

Newspaper replica hanging on the office wall of LRIS.

The deadline for the book is today, Feb. 28, and the only thing from keeping me from getting it done early was the inaugural talent show that the PTO (Parent Teacher's Organization) had scheduled for Feb. 28 and Mar. 1.  Yes, a two day event, since so many of the 5th and 6th graders had auditioned for spots in the show and so many had been selected to perform.  I was rather apprehensive when I headed to the school late afternoon, three days ago, to photograph a dress rehearsal for a double-page spread to complete their yearbook.  Returned the following day for the second 3:00-6:00 PM rehearsal.  

A portion of the "Musical Kids". 

What kind of talent can these kids display at 10-12 years of age?  Boy, was I amazed.  Both perfor- mances opened with a group known as the "Musical Kids" which was a combination of 5/6 graders who did a song and dance routine to get the show off on the right foot.  Must have been close to 20 in the group and you could tell they had been rehearsing for months.  Some were almost as tall as me while others were barely above my waist in height.  All nationalities and races were covered in this group that had close to the same amount of boys and girls.  Took me close to 5 minutes to realize that I was there for a reason, which wasn't to observe.  Snapped away from all positions in both natural light and with flash.  The event was being held in the gymnasium/auditorium and was darkened for most of the rehearsal.  Lighting and sound was being adjusted throughout both the rehearsals, but by the end of the second practice session, they seemed to have it down to a science.  After the "Musical Kids" did their number to start the rehearsals, the rest of the talent did a walk-through without music or special lighting, just to make sure they knew who they followed and if they would enter stage-right or stage-left.  Then they re-did it with music and lighting one more time.  Also gave the stage crew, which numbered about half a dozen extra kids each night, 

Adult helper at his control panel.

a chance to move all the props needed for the evening around on the stage and place black tape on the floor so they would remember where to place the props.  As for the talent, a few of the acts were: drummer who could twirl his drum-sticks in the air while playing to a recording; a few dance routines to music; a violin player that sounded like she was on the stage at Nashville; an Indian Dance Mash-up trio; quite a few singers, one of whom did a great rendition of Carrie Underwood's "Jesus, Take the Wheel"; a group of five girls who performed a synchro-swimming routine behind a blue tarp held at waist height while dressed in swimsuits, swim caps and goggles and was spectacular; a couple of pianists, one who played their own original composition; a young boy who tried to wow the people with his tennis skills, but ended up chasing the tennis balls around the stage; and my favorite, a student who played the piano and sang "When I Was Your Man."  

Hand "flying" across the keyboard.

How can these kids be this good I thought over and over.  I was proud to be a part of their practices and can only imagine how proud their parents will be when they attend the two evenings that make up the first ever Talent Show at the Landis Run Intermediate School.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - my apologies for the photos I have displayed today.  I felt it was not appropriate to post facial photos of juveniles without permission from their parents.