#lionkingexperience

I've always been on the fringes of theater, performing on stage as a kid, then again as a young adult, but always getting pulled away. The previous art teacher at our school, Melia Scranton, was a huge inspiration. I worked on plays as her AD for several years, and she provided me with the training and confidence to direct one myself.  The most useful tool or wisdom that helps me as a director/producer is knowing that yes, the kids will do it and come through. It gives me the confidence to know it will come out looking great. A piece of advice I would give a new director is “just because you think the kids might know the story doesn't mean it will be easier!”

One way we made staging The Lion King JR. was coming up with a solution of using generic tunics and then only slightly dressing them up to give the essence of the animals, rather ,then spend time working to make the costumes very elaborate

I have loved the theater my whole life. I was involved in musicals growing up and attend a lot of local productions of music theater. I fell into the job of directing my first musical. I was hired at this school that had already set the tradition of presenting musicals. The wisdom I rely on most with my production is “be creative with your presentation.” Don't be limited by what you see from other organizations that put on the same show. Craft the musical to fit you and your students. Some of my favorite productions that we've done have been The Little Mermaid JR. and The Lion King JR. I would advise anyone doing these to start earlier than you think you need to in order to get those costumes done!

That's Where the Story Began.....

High School was - in short - a terrible experience for me.  Actually, I always hated school…from the start…  I attended a VERY small school where my graduating class had 52 students. When I was in 11th grade, my Agriculture teacher created a FFA (Future Farmers of America) Quartet and String Band. It was the only arts I had ever known in school…oh I also played basketball…because the plays we ran felt more like choreography and as long as we followed the steps, we were successful.  We won a lot of games so that was fun…but that got old and the steps weren’t as fun anymore so I joined the cheer squad so I could dance. well attempt to dance… I also began singing with the rodeo.  I would sing the national anthem at the beginning and at intermission I was the entertainment. I traveled all over with rodeos and outdoor fairs singing… It was at the rodeo, where the Director of Theatre at Northeast Alabama Community College heard me sing and sought me out. She actually peeked in the door of my 11th grade English class - pointed to me - and asked me to step out in the hallway (clearly, this was before school safety) She invited me to try out for a “play” at the community college. Their shows were open to the community.  My goals in life were to marry a preacher and be a nurse and a momma. BOY - how life has a way of going in the opposite direction of your plans.

Saying “the theatre changed my life” is a cliché.  But - for me - there is really no other way to say it. That audition led to a two year fully paid drama scholarship at that Community College and on to a three year fully paid drama scholarship at Troy University where I took my first directing class and graduated with my degree in Theatre.

I tell the story because your background, your outlets, your opportunities are not stumbling blocks……only stepping stones.  I tell the story because I want kids who think theatre isn’t an option - to know better. I tell the story because I want my story to be their story. I tell the story because I want the kids I meet in this deep south to understand that you CAN make the arts a career.

Under the umbrella of the Whole Backstage Children’s Theatre - grew the Little Aggies and now the Aggie Theatre. These two programs are part of the Albertville City Schools in Albertville, Alabama. While the majority of my shows have been at the community theatre, we have recently moved into producing more and more shows with the children at Albertville. Recently, we produced Les Miserables, School Edition. It was a beautiful process.  The kids had requested a year ago to do the show.

When a community doesn’t think you can “pull off” a show like Les Mis - it makes you work harder to do it. These kids pulled together in a way that, we can only imagine, the kids at the barricade could mirror.  Their long hours of music rehearsal, their willingness to follow direction, their heart put into each character developed was unmatched by any other cast I have directed.

We have produced many beautiful shows through the Whole Backstage Children’s Theatre and Little Aggies and Aggie Theatre. Some of our other favorites include “Peter Pan, Jr., The Lion King, Jr., Godspell, Jr. and Annie, Jr.

Photos do not even begin to tell their story. However, they are a lovely representation of the moments. Thank you MTI and iTheatrics for your vision to make these school editions available to our children.  Without these condensed, more affordable options for our schools and community theatres, many of us would not be able to make these opportunities happen for our students. Your services are allowing so many to tell their own stories. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.