everybody cut, everybody cut
April 10, 2005, 9:18 am

"Maybe Mom can find a job that's steady..."

I was surprised that AnxiousGirl had taken the stage at the end of the show, but she's really coming out of her shell now. She said something nice about the Technical Director, and the Musical Director, and the Choreographer, and the Set Designer, and presented them with gifts. The kids cheered, the parents clapped. I vaguely remember handing the cash box to a student teacher for safekeeping, knowing I was next.

And then it happened: she couldn't even say my name before the kids stormed the downstage; they were chanting "MS.B! MS.B! MS.B!" I teared up a bit when I saw them so excited, and then I turned around.

There were 292 (!) people in the auditorium, and every one of them was one their feet.

Me. Standing Ovation. There.

When I think of it, it comes to me in a flash; I was more concerned with hugging every single kid I could grab, but it's burned in my mind now: Standing Ovation. Parents came up to me after the show, telling me how much they appreciated what I did for their kids; I may bitch about things from time to time, but man, no money in the world is worth giving this up.

One of my seniors (Sally) from last year came up to me: "Here it is, Ms. Biensoul, look at what you've done. This is all because of you." And, I know it is.

The kids were amazing. Thursday night's show was, um, interesting. Kids left their microphones on backstage (Sample line: "I can't believe I messed up so bad!" over the minister's song), set pieces nearly fell over or were left onstage during the wrong scene, and one kid fainted as the curtains closed on Act I. Friday was awesome; last night, man it was perfect (well, even the Napoleon Dynamite reference was pretty hilarious, and my Willard said, "Get 'er done!" that got a big reaction).

I was right; what I said before about them bringing it together? They did it, and it's over, and I'm a little bit sad.