I have been doing homework for around eight hours today and I am not done yet so I wanted to take a break to reminisce about how wonderful All Shook Up has been so far (I have listened to the All Shook Up album A LOT). There are just a whole lot of elements that come together to make this experience something memorable and so worthwhile for all who are involved. Enjoy this concise list of good things. 1. We get to make lots and lots of new friends. This one is the most obvious but in my opinion that is a good thing. You might even be rolling your eyes because you have heard me say things along this subject so many times. I can't help it; being surrounded by such good people is irreplacable. Having a supportive community like McDrama is a gift and the endless supply of friendships to be had are a defining element of who we are. 2. This music is out-of-this-world good. It doesn't feel like extra work and rehearsal when I turn on the soundtrack while doing homework or taking a run because it is easy to listen to and enjoy. This also means I am going to listen to it a lot even when the show has closed which will bring back lots of nice memories :) 3. It seems like no recent McDrama show has featured nearly as much dancing. YAY!!! This is why it is a good thing that the rehearsal process was a tad longer than usual for this show. These song and dance numbers are going to astound our audiences. 4. There is nothing like the proud feeling that comes over the group after we do a number really well. It's a good thing that these numbers are top-notch, especially since we sometimes do them 4 or 5 times in quick succession. Working towards a goal and eventually reaching it is really wonderful you guys. It is quite heartwarming to watch your friends and the show progress so obviously with each passing week. 5. Our costumes are maybe the cutest thing I have seen in my life. How often in this day and age do you get to see a ton of teenagers dancing in hand made circle skirts? I don't run into that often (besides during All Shook Up), but if you do, props to you. 6. Dancing backstage for some reason always seems to be the funniest thing since stalking your friends' old Instagram pictures. Don't get me wrong, those prepubescent selfies are totally hilarious, but it is always a good time busting a move just before you strut on stage. Thanks for reading!!!
Ally Knizner Class of 2018
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I want to save this feeling in a bottle and carry it around in my pocket with me all the time. Right now is my favorite part of the rehearsal process. Songs, dances, and lines are memorized and our main goal shifts towards assembling that with our ever-growing characters and energy. It feels like we are constantly going through songs, working through dances, and improving our art; that is the best way to be. Each time we run a number, it seems to fourish with more life. The number of weeks until opening can be counted on one hand. The general feeling among us all feels complete with anticipation, excitement, and tons of love both for each other and our performance. The show is developing and becoming something easier and easier to love with each passing day. Personally, I am really cherishing each moment that we have rehearsing and being together from here on, even more so than originally, because the end always sneaks up on me. We are all growing closer as cast and crew since seeing each other daily has become our habit every Tuesday through Thursday. Rehearsals to work on All Shook Up are what I look forward to, especially when the stress of school starts to catch up with me. Nothing means more to me than seeing my friends and working on a show together, two things that I appreciate more with each passing hour. Nothing can replace that feeling. We are working hard, loving each other more and more, getting better and better, being a part of something greater than ourselves alone. This is a show that you won't want to miss. -Ally Knizner Class of 2018 Today we received some news that took us all by surprise: McAuley and Mercy are going to merge into one school. The class of 2018 will be the last to graduate from McAuley High School. For more information about this, go to this link: https://www.sistersofmercy.org/south-central/south-central-newsroom/. There was a nervous buzz and flurry of questions, so many left unanswered because of all of the decisions left to be made. My mind immediately went to the future of our drama program. We have been so blessed with the leadership, talent, hard work, and a huge number of passionate people that makes up the program that so many of us are so dedicated to being a part of. This program has created irreplaceable friendships and bonds, too many for me to name in a single post, that have undoubtedly made me the person that I am proud to be today. We have memories stored in the green room in physical forms of props and costumes. For some just entering the space reminds them of countless brown squirrels, warm ups, and whatever inside jokes may have cultivated during a show. It is a blessing to have this space of such high quality and the opportunities for our group of theatre kids to use it a few more times.
No other program or club has influenced me as much; I have learned about my strengths and how to love completely unconditionally. Now is our time to make it count. It is so important to give every production our all in the first place, but now it is even more important. A loving community is something we have always been and it is why we always have such a huge list of cast and crew involved in every show. That isn't going anywhere. That is a spirt and passion that each of us has developed and nurtured within ourselves and we are so lucky to have the chance to experience this so wholly for ourselves. Now is our time to seize the beautiful performing opportunities that we are given. I never imagined this would be something for me to write about but somehow we are approaching final opportunities to exist exactly as we are now. Of course we all graduate at some point and no longer are able to actively be in McDrama's shows, but this is not the same circumstances. No one else will get the same director, crew, cast members, and general atomsphere that exists here. Now is our time to live in the moment, as fully as humanly possible. Now is our time to give thanks for what we have gotten to create and still have yet to create. We never can run out of that precious creativity that we bring to each show. Dig deep into your heart and bring all you have to offer. Now is our time to even more shamelessly embrace the love for theatre and our program. It means a lot to us and that should never remain hidden. Now is our time to take that and start to turn our minds towards the future and what good is yet to come. We are built to do great things but that will never come without a fair share of struggles. Today Mr. Minelli shared with us the quote, "Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope," which really spoke to me and I hope others can find comfort in it as well. Change is hard but nonetheless necessary. It is bringing us room to grow and share our experiences and gifts with more people. The compassion and love that we boast about is going to keep things like our drama program, in a condition that we can remain to enjoy while allowing it to expand with incoming gifts and traditions. -Ally Knizner Class of 2018 |
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March 2018
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