A Roadshow Panto
There are a few things that mark out members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as different from those around them. One of them is one of my favourite things ever, watching or participating in a Roadshow. A Roadshow is basically a short performance put on by each ward in a Stake based around a theme. Last year for example, the theme was Disney, this year the theme was Panto.
Somehow I had managed to volunteer myself to write and direct a Panto and get as many members of the ward involved as I could, and I wanted EVERYONE involved because I'm a tiny bit of an overachiever.
Three hours after volunteering myself we had a Panto script, which was approved by the Bishop and the Ward Council and the following Tuesday the parts were cast from the members of the ward whose arms I had twisted into coming to take part at the Munch and Mingle we'd had on Sunday afternoon.
Mormons are just like every other branch of Christianity and easily persuaded to do stuff if there is food involved!
The Panto that I wrote, combined 16 traditional Panto Stories and fairy tales all into one Panto. We had Jack and The Beanstalk, Cinderella, Babes in the Wood, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Goldilocks, Robin Hood, Beauty and The Beast, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Peter Pan, Dick Whittington, Aladdin and Ali Baba and the 40 thieves!
I'm actually really proud of myself, not only did we manage to pull off a Panto which combined 16 traditional Panto stories into one Panto and not have it descend into chaos, but we managed to stick to the 15-minute time limit... In fact, we were thirty seconds under it!
We had 24 members of cast, three last minute cast changes, five backstage helpers (they did a fab job on hair, make up and ensuring everyone got on stage!) and within the three weeks, we had learnt our lines, our cues, our dance routines, sourced sound effects and costumes and I'd made or sourced every prop we used on stage. I'd like to take this moment to apologise to my husband for the number of craft items, bottles of glue and tubes of glitter scattered around our house whilst I've been making all the props and also for the three huge boxes blocking our living room where I'd been storing them all. I love you honey, also I told you that the paint would come right off our new kitchen cupboards!
My whole family was involved. Top Ender was Little Red Riding Hood (Remember I told you in the Trunk and Treat post to look out for something? This post is it!), Dan Jon was a lost boy and Flyfour was our sound guy.
Originally I was the Director and was going to be backstage helping everyone get on stage at the right point etc, but well, I ended up playing Cinderella, which turned into quite a comedic juxtaposition seeing as I'm an overweight 30 something-year-old and my Prince Charming was a very lovely 14-year-old boy.
I didn't panic when we were scheduled as the last ward to perform. As I told all the cast it meant two things, we could watch all the other Ward's Panto's and we could finish the evening as heroes with our fantastic Panto. And it was fantastic.
Everyone gave their best performance. The audience gave use boos and cheers and awws and applause and lots and lots of laughter. Some of the jokes that I'd written, which the cast and my friends had said were funny were so well received. I was standing in the wings with a huge grin on my face!
Of course, now that the Panto is all over and my living room has been put back together and isn't full of props, costumes and copies of the Script my thoughts have turned to the Primary Nativity... I do hope my husband forgives me for the next lot of props our home is about to host!
Oh yes, it was!
Somehow I had managed to volunteer myself to write and direct a Panto and get as many members of the ward involved as I could, and I wanted EVERYONE involved because I'm a tiny bit of an overachiever.
Oh, Yes I am!
Three hours after volunteering myself we had a Panto script, which was approved by the Bishop and the Ward Council and the following Tuesday the parts were cast from the members of the ward whose arms I had twisted into coming to take part at the Munch and Mingle we'd had on Sunday afternoon.
Mormons are just like every other branch of Christianity and easily persuaded to do stuff if there is food involved!
The Panto that I wrote, combined 16 traditional Panto Stories and fairy tales all into one Panto. We had Jack and The Beanstalk, Cinderella, Babes in the Wood, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Goldilocks, Robin Hood, Beauty and The Beast, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Peter Pan, Dick Whittington, Aladdin and Ali Baba and the 40 thieves!
Oh yes we did!
I'm actually really proud of myself, not only did we manage to pull off a Panto which combined 16 traditional Panto stories into one Panto and not have it descend into chaos, but we managed to stick to the 15-minute time limit... In fact, we were thirty seconds under it!
Oh yes we were!
We had 24 members of cast, three last minute cast changes, five backstage helpers (they did a fab job on hair, make up and ensuring everyone got on stage!) and within the three weeks, we had learnt our lines, our cues, our dance routines, sourced sound effects and costumes and I'd made or sourced every prop we used on stage. I'd like to take this moment to apologise to my husband for the number of craft items, bottles of glue and tubes of glitter scattered around our house whilst I've been making all the props and also for the three huge boxes blocking our living room where I'd been storing them all. I love you honey, also I told you that the paint would come right off our new kitchen cupboards!
Oh yes, it did!
My whole family was involved. Top Ender was Little Red Riding Hood (Remember I told you in the Trunk and Treat post to look out for something? This post is it!), Dan Jon was a lost boy and Flyfour was our sound guy.
Originally I was the Director and was going to be backstage helping everyone get on stage at the right point etc, but well, I ended up playing Cinderella, which turned into quite a comedic juxtaposition seeing as I'm an overweight 30 something-year-old and my Prince Charming was a very lovely 14-year-old boy.
I didn't panic when we were scheduled as the last ward to perform. As I told all the cast it meant two things, we could watch all the other Ward's Panto's and we could finish the evening as heroes with our fantastic Panto. And it was fantastic.
Everyone gave their best performance. The audience gave use boos and cheers and awws and applause and lots and lots of laughter. Some of the jokes that I'd written, which the cast and my friends had said were funny were so well received. I was standing in the wings with a huge grin on my face!
Of course, now that the Panto is all over and my living room has been put back together and isn't full of props, costumes and copies of the Script my thoughts have turned to the Primary Nativity... I do hope my husband forgives me for the next lot of props our home is about to host!