Drowsy Chaperone

At the end of the school last year Jaelee auditioned for musical theater and got it in! She has been in theater for many years but decided to try musical theater. In the fall she auditioned for the musical this year – the Drowsy Chaperone. Neither of us had heard of it. She didn’t get the part she wanted but got a part in the ensemble. I was so proud of how she handled not getting the part she was bummed but happy to be a part of the play as a whole.

They started practices back in November, it didn’t get really intense until January. There were some Saturdays where they had to be there the whole day. Jaelee did not love all the practice and the dancing. She’d come home and say her feet hurt and that they kept changing things. They continued to change choreography right up until the night before opening. You would of never known seeing the show, they all did so good.

The show ran for 2 weeks. It was in the thick of cold season and each night a different kid or group of kids was out sick. One week Jaelee’s dance partner was out, the next he was back and then the other one was out.

They let parents come to the show for free and take pictures and video in between the 2 groups of dates. Sadly, that night the actress that played the Drowsy Chaperone and another lead were out sick! They did not have understudies so they moved people around. They did so great. The girl playing the drowsy chaperone had to hold a binder with the lines in it but she did so well. I was impressed.

I was busy taking photos and video. I was the only one in our family that came that night. We were all going to go closing night. After I saw it I was so excited, it was so good. I was just beaming seeing Jaelee up there. It was very exciting.

Friday night when we went back we had a good bunch with us. My aunt, cousin, 2 of her daughters, my brothers, brothers wife and baby Navy, Jayse & his girlfriend and of course Greg & I were all there. I gotta say it was so nice watching it without trying to get pictures. I was able to sit and just enjoy it. And not a single cast member was sick, they were all there! Gosh it was just so good. Can’t say enough how proud I am.

Afterwards I asked Jaelee if she liked performing better in a musical or just traditional theater. She said definitely not the musical, ha!

Every night she did her own makeup and hair. She did such a good job.